Matiang'i downplays new role of Cabinet prefect
By JUSTUS WANGA
Six weeks after President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him to head a
Cabinet committee on service delivery, Dr Fred Matiang’i has come out
to reassure his colleagues that the position does not make him a prefect
over them.
In an interview with the Sunday Nation,
the same day that saw Mr Kenyatta sack Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid
Echesa, the Interior Cabinet Secretary clarified his new role was not
meant to undermine any of his colleagues.
“This is
certainly a useful mechanism to clarify, not to confuse; to coordinate,
not to undermine. My new role was created to help, not to hinder; more
importantly, to promote inter-ministerial coordination.
"Among
the inter-ministerial matters, the coordination is required for
removing difficulties, removing differences, overcoming delays,
coordination in administrative action and coordination of policies,” he
said.
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His
explanation comes in the wake of simmering tension in the Cabinet with
ministers allied to the Deputy President William Ruto sulking over his
elevation, which they believe was meant to undermine the second in
command ahead of the 2022 elections.
He also sought to downplay ‘super minister tag’, a strategic move that is perhaps meant to reduce the tension with colleagues.
“At
Cabinet level we do not have shallow insecurities because we know each
one of us is uniquely qualified to do what the others can. As you saw
from the President’s communique, this committee is not a one man show
but rather a committee constituting almost the whole wing of the
Executive,” he said.
The reality though is that his colleagues see him as being ‘first among equals’.
The
Presidential Delivery Unit (PDU) headed by Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita
has been mandated with collecting information on all projects and
feeding the information to the committee weekly.
ALLIES
A
number of Cabinet ministers who got their seats courtesy of Dr Ruto are
keen on supporting his presidential ambition with hope they will be
guaranteed plum positions, again, if he wins once President Kenyatta
retires.
When Dr Matiang’í was appointed, there was
open defiance among his colleagues in what almost paralysed operations
of the committee.
Dr Ruto even hosted his trusted
allies at his Harambee Annex offices for hours to dissect the import of
the development in the larger operations of government as well as what
it meant for his State House bid.
The thinking in Dr
Ruto’s camp is that naturally and by virtue of being the President’s
principal assistant, he should have chaired the committee.
The resistance invited Mr Kenyatta’s intervention. He is said to have asked those not willing to toe the new order to quit.
“During
today's Cabinet meeting I reminded our Cabinet secretaries that there
are many young Kenyans who are willing and ready to work if they felt
they are not up to task. Those who've chosen to keep politicking instead
of serving the people should be ready to give way,” Mr Kenyatta told
wananchi in Kitengela on his way to Tanzania.
NO DIVISIONS
Dr
Matiang’i said all was well in the Cabinet. “Our working relationship
has tremendously improved if the 100 percent attendance of our weekly
meetings is anything to go by,” he said.
And added: “If
there are any imaginary divisions, then they are a creation of the
media and those who seek to politicise everything. For us, we shall
focus on delivering services to Kenyans.”
Dr Matiang’i
said while each ministry is responsible for acting on its own for
expeditious implementation of government policies, plans and programmes,
where inter-ministerial cooperation is involved they often seek the
assistance of the newly formed coordination structures.
“The rest of my colleagues understand this fact very well, they welcome the new committee and we are happy to work as a team.”
PRIORITY
Even with expanded mandate, Dr Matiang'i said the Ministry of Interior remains his major focus.
“It
is where I report on a daily basis and even with additional
assignments, I understand I have to deliver on my primary ministry.”
He
spoke a few days after reports emerged that the Directorate of Criminal
Investigations (DCI) had opened files on at least three ministers in
connection with claims of receiving kickbacks from contractors presiding
over mega government projects.
Construction of at
least four dams is the subject of heated political debate that has seen
DP Ruto come out to deny claims that some Sh21 billion meant for the
construction has been squandered.
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