Questions now abound over the relationship between Deputy President William Ruto and President Uhuru Kenyatta after conspicuous missing of the DP on State of the Nation Address on Friday.
President Uhuru on the day announced his new Cabinet line-up, an issue that insiders say did not sit very well with Ruto.
The DP was not pleased with the line-up that Uhuru announced. He decided to stay off the event despite the fact that he was in the country.
According to Daily Nation, Ruto on Friday morning reported to his Harambee House Annexe office. The DP’s spokesman David Mugonyi confirmed his boss was in the country on Friday. “He (Ruto) is in the country. That’s all I can say.”
Sources close to the DP say he was of the view that some of the 13 Cabinet Secretaries who were left out should be reappointed.
The 13 CSs yet to know their fate are: Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution), Hassan Wario (Sports), Aden Mohammed (Industrialization), Amb. Amina Mohammed (Foreign Affairs), Eugene Wamalwa (Water and Irrigation), Dan Kazungu (Mining),Phylis Kandie (Labour), Prof Judy Wakhungu (Environment), Rachel Omamo (Defense), Sicily Kariuki (Public Service), Willy Bett (Agriculture), Cleopa Mailu (Health) and Jacob Kaimenyi (Lands).
However, Dr Fred Matiang’i (Education), Joe Mucheru (ICT), James Macharia (Transport), Najib Balala (Tourism), Charles Keter (Energy) and Henry Rotich (Treasury) were retained.
In addition, former Marsabit Governor Ukur Yattani, Director of Public Prosecution Keriako Tobiko and ex-Turkana Senator Jonh Munyes were nominated for Cabinet positions.
But Jubilee honchos Led by Leader of Majority Aden Duale have downplayed all this saying there is nothing much in the DP missing out during the announcement.
“We have one government which is led by the President. All of us, including me and the DP, are behind our leader and we endorse every decision he takes,” said Duale.
“Those who are speculating on the absence of the DP want to create a controversy where there is none. They are still stuck in the old ways of the coalition government. Our government is one and united.”
Jubilee Party Vice chairman David Murathe echoed Duale’s sentiments citing that in 2013, Ruto appeared beside Uhuru during Cabinet naming because they were representing defunct TNA and URP parties respectively.
“You understand in 2013 there was a semi-coalition arrangement where we had two parties. This time it’s only one party, one party leader and one deputy leader. The President is naming a Cabinet as per his vision for his legacy. We know the Deputy President is in line to succeed the President, that time he will have a chance to make his Cabinet without the input of the current President, that’s how you have to look at it.”