Uhuru’s Cabinet reshuffle elicits mixed reactions

Nakuru Jubilee Party Secretary-General Peter Cheruiyot. He has supported President Uhuru Kenyatta's move to reshuffle his Cabinet on January 14, 2019. PHOTO | FRANCIS MUREITHI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Peter Cheruiyot thanked the President for appointing Nakuru-based lawyer Lawrence Karanja as Chief Administrative Secretary for Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development.
  • Jubilee Party’s Nakuru branch secretary-general criticised the recycling old guards in top positions in the government.

Jubilee Party’s Nakuru branch Secretary-General Peter Cheruiyot has urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to appoint members of the minority communities in his government.

“I was expecting at least a member of El Molo or Ogiek communities to be appointed in the Cabinet,” said Mr Cheruiyot who also congratulated President Kenyatta for making changes in his Cabinet.

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

He thanked President Kenyatta for appointing Nakuru-based lawyer Lawrence Karanja as Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) for Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development

“We are happy the President has appointed a lawyer from Nakuru as CAS and we shall support him,” he said.

He urged the President to appoint more women in leadership positions in his government.

“Women leaders have proved that they are performers and their inclusion in the government would be a game changer in the fight against corruption,” said Mr Cheruiyot.

He however, criticised the recycling old guards in top positions in the government.

“With all due respect, Mr Mutahi Kagwe was an ambassador and instead of President appointing him as Health Cabinet Secretary, he should have given that opportunity to a young person,” said Mr Cheruiyot.

YOUNG PEOPLE

During the State of the Nation address in Mombasa on Tuesday, President Kenyatta said he had appointed more young people as CAS and urged them to uphold honesty and fight corruption as they understudy the experienced Cabinet secretaries as they prepare to take over from them.

He lauded the President’s commitment to fight corruption and his promise to dairy farmers that imported milk will attract heavy tax to safeguard local farmers’ interests.

He said Jubilee Party Nakuru branch was happy that the Head of State had suspended new National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) rules.

He said poor Kenyans who depend on NHIF were contemplating abandoning the fund as the changes were likely to lock out millions of workers and poor Kenyans from the health scheme.

He urged Nakuru residents to support Jubilee administration to enable it fulfil its Big Four Agenda.

“Let’s put on hold the 2022 campaigns and support President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto to accomplish the agenda they promised us when we elected them,” said Mr Cheruiyot.

On Building Bridges Initiative, Mr Cheruiyot urged the government to print enough copies in national and vernacular languages so that it could be well understood.