Uhuru offers Wanyama Musiambo, Nzioka Waita bigger roles

The appointment of Mr Nzioka Waita as Chief of Staff and Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) was widely interpreted as a “vote of confidence” from the Head of State in a man who has earned the tag of “Mr Fix it” despite being a civil service outsider.

Mr Waita — a former long serving executive at Safaricom — first entered into the public service in April 2015. At the time, Mr Kenyatta was seen to be keen to tap Mr Waita’s experience as an outsider from one of Kenya’s most profitable blue chip firms to inject fresh impetus in the public service.

When he was poached from Safaricom, where he was responsible for legal, public policy and corporate affairs, he was given the sole duty of streamlining operations within government as head of the Presidential Delivery Unit.

NEW OUTFIT

Despite being a fairly new outfit, the unit was seen as critical in the President’s administration.

Barely two years after his appointment, Mr Waita — a UK-trained lawyer — was handed more powers in the Jubilee administration when he was named deputy Chief of Staff at State House.

At the time, it was understood the new status was meant to give Mr Waita the requisite powers and influence to push for the implementation of the pillar projects in the Jubilee manifesto. He deputised the Head of Public Service, Mr Joseph Kinyua, one of the President’s trusted men and an experienced bureaucrat.

In his role as Chief of Staff and Head of the PDU, Mr Waita is expected to continue monitoring the performance of key parastatals to ensure that President Kenyatta’s administration implements its flagship projects in his last term but also delivers key services to the public.

CARTELS

Mr Waita in July 2016 rattled heads when he publicly lamented that cartels had infiltrated land acquisition for big infrastructure projects, inflating costs and in turn putting at risk their implementation.

“Land compensation is perhaps one of the biggest challenges posed to infrastructure projects today,” Mr Waita said. “Where the State wants a pipeline, a road, an electricity line to pass through, there is an extortionist mentality that has pervaded Kenyans of all walks of life so that people want to be paid billions of shillings in compensation.”

His continued powers will include monitoring and evaluating performance on high-impact projects across ministries and government departments.

Another big winner in Friday’s appointments was Mr Wanyama Musiambo, who, until his appointment, was the Rift Valley Regional Coordinator.

Mr Musiambo, who became a commissioner in 2013, is now the Deputy Head of the Public Service.

REGIONAL BOSS

Having served as District Commissioner, Mr Musiambo took over from the then Rift Valley provincial commissioner, Mr Osman Warfa.

As the regional boss, Mr Musiambo will be remembered for his efforts to reconcile communities which had fought for years in the Rift Valley.

 For instance, he was instrumental in ending the clashes between the Marakwet and Pokot in Kerio Valley in Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties.

In efforts to bring peace Mr Musiambo deployed more than 500 police reservists and led a disarmament operation to recover illegal guns from the bandits. He also oversaw a peaceful electioneering process in 2017 in the region perceived to be prone to violence.

Another key beneficiary in the new appointments is former Nakuru governor Kinuthia Mbugua. After stepping down for the current governor, Mr Lee Kinyanjui, in 2017, Mr Mbugua has been rewarded with a State job after being appointed State House Comptroller.