By Anderson Ojwang
President William Ruto in a classical political chase game to
reclaim the slipping Murima vote bloc, has made a bold move by
nipping the Head of Azimio La Umoja Presidential Secretariat in
the 2022 general elections and former Laikipia Governor Nderitu
Murithi.
Murithi was appointed chairperson, Board of Directors, Kenya
Revenue Authority where he takes over from Ruto’s key point
man, Mr Antony Mwaura, who has been moved to the chairperson,
board of directors Kenya Rural Roads Authority.
President Ruto again has brought into his fold, strategic allies of
his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, who he hopes will hold sway in
Mt Kenya and would be capable of propagating Kenya Kwanza
government and the President’s agenda.
In his new cabinet appointments, President Ruto has brought key
Uhuru allies who campaigned for Azimio La Umoja presidential
candidate Raila Odinga in the last general election.
The new appointees include Mutahi Kagwe, who was Health
Minister in Uhuru’s regime and is now the cabinet secretary of
Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Mutahi will have to wade through the murky and thorny debate on
the government proposed vaccination of all the livestock that has
drawn criticism from a section of Kenyans, politicians and vets.
President Ruto recently declared that the nationwide livestock
vaccination program against diseases planned for January next
year will go on as planned despite propaganda and fake news
peddled by some leaders.
The President urged Kenyans to disregard propaganda peddled
by detractors, saying vaccination was about disease control.
Speaking during the annual Kimalel Goat Auction in Baringo
County on Tuesday, President Ruto said detractors opposed to
the program will not stop its implementation.
He said the government will proceed, noting that farmers deserve
quality animals whose products are in demand globally.
“We are determined to carry out the vaccination program for our
livestock in an effort to increase prices for our livestock products
and meet international market standards,” he said.
He explained that failure to vaccinate livestock has become an
impediment to local meat products accessing markets in the
region and abroad due to disease prevalence.
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka had asked Kenyans to reject the
planned vaccination claiming the campaign was funded by foreign
research institutions seeking to introduce gene-modifying
medicine in Kenya’s livestock.
Mutahi was the health minister and cushioned the country during
the Covid 19 outbreak in 2019 and will now have to wade through
the vaccination storm after he assumes office.
Former Nakuru governor Lee Kinyanjui, who lost the seat to Ruto’s
close ally Susan Kihika, will now be the cabinet Secretary,
Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry while former Kiambu
Governor William Kabogo another Uhuru’s ally is the cabinet secretary of the Ministry of Information, Communication and Digital Economy.
President Ruto also appointed former Muranga senator and
former deputy speaker in the 2013-2017 senate Kembi Gitura. Kembi
was also appointed Kemsa chair after he lost the election and
fired over an alleged scandal in procuring of covid 19 supplies.
The appointments come hot in the heels of the recent meeting
between President Ruto and Uhuru at the latter home of Ichaweri
in Gatundu.
President Ruto and his allies have been in the recent past
receiving hostile and stormy reception in the Murima after the
impeachment of former deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
Rigathi recently hinted at a possible alliance with Wiper Party
leader Kalonzo ahead of the 2027 General Election.
When he spoke during a funeral service in Mbooni, Makueni
County on Wednesday, December 19, Rigathi praised Kalonzo,
particularly for working with the late former President Mwai Kibaki.
As such, Gachagua noted that the Mount Kenya region owed
Kalonzo and they will pay back when the right time comes.
“We are very grateful, and we won’t forget those people from the
Wiper Party, led by Kalonzo Musyoka, has built a friendship
that will last forever. We also won’t bother how Kalonzo helped
Kibaki in 2007, the coalition between Kalonzo and Kibaki led to
economic development that we had not seen since
independence. We forgot to pay that ‘debt’ but we will pay that
‘debt’,” he said.
Gachagua also acknowledged the support from Members of
Parliament from the Kamba community who stood with him during
and after his impeachment process.
“We are very grateful to the Kamba community; we are grateful to
Kalonzo, the Wiper Party, and the Members of Parliament. You
have shown us true friendship at a time when we are being
embarrassed by those whom we helped. We did not help you, we
helped others but they have betrayed us. However, at this time
when we are suffering, you have come to our rescue,” he said.
President Ruto has now managed to bring into his fold Kenya’s
top leading politicians and dynasties’ namely Uhuru and Raila.
Raila’s troops were the first to enter Ruto’s political fold and
the ODM allied cabinet secretaries have become the defenders of
the Kenya Kwanza regime and they have pledged allegiance to
the President.
