The earth has gone around the sun seven times since we met to unpack the week that was a fortnight ago. In the last week, Kenya and the world have seen a lot of events that directly or indirectly will affect or affect its people.
Last week belonged to President William Ruto.
On October 26, Ruto held bilateral talks with Spanish President Pedro Sanchez. See featured photo.
PRESIDENT WILLIAM RUTO’S CABINET AND KEY APPOINTMENTS TAKE SHAPE.
President William Ruto is still in the infancy stage of his administration. This week, some of the men and women he appointed to the cabinet have been vetted by a committee of the National Assembly led by Speaker Moses Wetangula.
In the vetting exercise, which most Kenyans on social media prescribed as “a formality,” the Cabinet nominees revealed their net worth, and what they intend to do, even as they answered questions about their past controversies.
Musalia Mudavadi denied having benefited from the Goldenberg scandal and promised to work shoulder to shoulder with DP Gachagua and President Ruto to turn around the economy of Kenya. He said the BBI was a good document but had some toxic aspects.
Justin Muturi, the Attorney General nominee, told the vetting committee that he would advise the government accordingly, especially on the need to have the three arms of government work independently. He also defended the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), which the Supreme Court declared illegal. Muturi said the fund has done ” phenomena” in Kenya and said the President could address the issue the court took against the kitty.
Professor Kithure Kindiki, the nominee CS for Interior, said he would brutally deal with criminals, even if it means camping in the North Rift and flattening their hiding gorges. The former senator promised to talk less and do more without holding press conferences.
Aden Duale, the CS nominee for the defense ministry, said he would revert the military to their work of protecting the country and its sovereignty back from the civilian duties that former president Uhuru had assigned them.
Alfred Mutua of the Foreign Affairs and Diaspora ministry said he would work to end the suffering of Kenyans, particularly those working in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Countries.
Kipchumba Murkomen of Transport promised to establish an airstrip in every county, make the SGR contract public, remove traffic police from the roads, and develop transport infrastructure in every part of the country, political affiliations notwithstanding.
The President also appointed Amin Mohamed Ibrahim as the director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI). Ibrahim takes over from George Kinoti, who resigned early this month.
President Ruto also made new appointments to the executive office of the President. Felix Koskei was appointed Chief of Staff with Josphat Nanok as his deputy, and Hussein Mohammed was appointed the new State House Spokesperson. In contrast, David Mugonyi was appointed the Head of Communication in the Presidential Communication Service.
RUTO DISBANDS SPECIAL SERVICE UNIT POLICE SQUAD
President Ruto also ordered the disbandment of the Special Service Unit police squad, which he said was responsible for killing civilians “whose bodies were dumped in River Yala.”
The public acknowledgment by Ruto that the past government where he was the deputy president was running a death squad has sparked pressure from human rights groups, demanding accountability from Ruto himself first and prosecution of the officers second.
RUTO SEEKS 1000 MORE ACRES OF LAND FOR KERICHO COUNTY
The President on Sunday, while in Kericho, said he would ensure that Kericho County is expanded by at least 1000 acres of land, a statement that was a rabble-rouser among Kenyans online, who wondered how the Ruto administration plans to acquire the extra land.
MAMA IDA’S BODYGUARD SHOT IN KISUMU
On Friday, October 14th, Barack Oduor, a bodyguard of Mama Ida Odinga, was the wife of former Prime Minister and opposition supremo Raila Odinga. Collins Okundi, the chief suspect in the murder, was arrested two days later upon surrendering to the police in Eldoret.
RUTO GIVES HUSTLERS A REALITY CHECK ON FUNDS
Ruto shocked hustlers this week by coming out clear on the specifics of the much-touted hustler fund. During the campaign, Ruto said his administration would make available a hustler fund, a kitty that would help small and medium enterprises to get money to run their businesses. Then, he didn’t say if or not the funds would have any interest attached to them.
However, on Sunday, he said that there is no free money from the government and that the hustler fund, which he said will be available from December, will be repaid with a 10 percent interest.