Gachagua: I saw the newspaper people writing yesterday that there is a problem on the mountain (Mt Kenya) that I might fight with Moses Kuria. I’m Deputy President this is our worker, so can the employer fall out with his employee?
Simba Arati to Moses Kuria: Naona ukipigwa… kaa ngumu tutasimama na wewe wakikufukuza pande ile, kuja pande yetu tutashirikiana tuone vile tutachukua serikali.
Paul Mwirigi
Grand muller finally sees the sense! Sadly it has taken a genius of his type too long to see!!
Ahmednassir Abdullahi:
When you have two senior Cabinet Secretaries storming offices and workstations of clerks in their ministries and addressing mundane issues of driver’s licenses, logbooks, police clearance certificates, passports etc…issues routinely handled by entry-level clerks in the ministries…then you sadly realize that the SYSTEM IS BROKEN AND KENYA IS NOT DELIVERING FOR THE COMMON MAN/WOMAN.
Jeff Mwanginde
You can campaign through propaganda but you cannot govern through propaganda. Populism politics are very different from real ones.
CS for roads anatoka kwenu, though we don’t eat roads…
Anzaya Lisero
Same problems kwetu Naitiri. Poor roads from misikhu to ndivisi to makunga to eluuhya to namboko to Naitiri to nyange to mautuma to lugari Hadi turbo 
Evah Exuberant
Nani anajua mahitaji yetu!? Hustler 
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has offered Sub-Saharan countries, including Kenya, three strategies to address resistance to fiscal reforms, such as the introduction of new taxes.
In new recommendations contained in the report titled Resilient Strategies and Credible Anchors in Turbulent Waters, the IMF stressed that the sustainability of the new policies introduced by the national government depends on them being accepted by citizens.
Recognizing that there is often resistance to such reforms, the Bretton Woods institution advised the Sub-Saharan governments to implement new policies, like taxes, gradually.
The IMF’s recommendations come in the context of recent tax changes in Kenya, including the introduction of taxes like the Housing Levy and a 16% VAT on fuel which have faced public opposition due to their impact on the cost of living.
Furthermore, the government has plans for additional salary deductions, such as the proposed 2.75% deduction for the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF).
“Resistance to reform is very difficult to overcome in the fiscal area since the costs of the status quo are not always visible, while many new measures reduce, at least temporarily, the welfare of broad segments of society,” read the report in part.
“The issue of public acceptability should be at the centre of policy design for instance, by properly sequencing the reform process or conceiving compensatory measures.”
IMF also advised Ruto and his fellow Sub-Saharan presidents to carry out communication campaigns to enlighten the public about the new fiscal policies.
The international financial institution contends that such campaigns provide the government with avenues to inform the population of the long-term benefits & consequences of initiating or failing to undertake the reforms.
“More generally, public acceptance of reforms depends on the ability of governments to convince the population that they will use public funds in an efficient, fair, and transparent manner,” read the report in part.
IMF noted that its recommendations, such as bolstering tax administration management and human resources, as well as implementing digital tax systems, have contributed to enhanced revenue collection in countries like Rwanda.
Kenya, among others, has been recognized for adopting a comprehensive medium-term revenue strategy (MTRS) as part of these efforts
Trade CS Moses Kuria has been moved to the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and delivery Management in the latest cabinet reshuffle initiated by President William Ruto Wednesday night.
In Summary
• EALA CS Rebecca Miano has on her part been moved to Trade and Industry docket to replace the former Gatundu South MP.
• Water CS Alice Wahome has swapped positions with Zachary Njeru of the Ministry of Lands, Public Works and Urban development.
President William Ruto.
Image: PCS
Trade CS Moses Kuria has been moved to the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and delivery Management in the latest cabinet reshuffle initiated by President William Ruto Wednesday night.
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EALA CS Rebecca Miano has on her part been moved to Trade and Industry docket to replace the former Gatundu South MP.
Water CS Alice Wahome has swapped positions with Zachary Njeru of the Ministry of Lands, Public Works and Urban development.
Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS Alfred Mutua has been redeployed to Tourism and Wildlife docket while Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action CS Aisha Jumwa has been moved to the Ministry of Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage.
Peninah Malonza has been transferred from Tourism docket to the ministry of East Africa Community, the ASALS and East Africa Development.
Meanwhile, the portfolio mandate of the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary has been expanded to include the ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.
Ruto has appointed suspended Kenya Medical Supplies Authority CEO Terry Ramadhani as the Deputy Ambassador to New Delhi, India.
Ramadhani is among the 14 deputy ambassadors appointed on Wednesday.
She was suspended on May 15, 2013, by Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha alongside other staff members serving within the Ministry of Health.
This was after complaints of alleged impropriety within Kemsa in its management and administration.
The CEO was implicated in the mosquito net deal that was marred with allegations of irregularities in the tendering process.
The Global Fund had given Kemsa the deal which could see it earn Sh370 million in revenue through warehousing and transport logistics.
It however cancelled it citing irregularities in the procurement process.
The procurement process initiated by Kemsa saw the tender awarded to Shobikaa Impex and Partec East Africa Ltd.
Ruto in an interview said he had been briefed on the matter and would take action.
“I am doing something about it. You will see results. I want to give you my commitment, I will clean up KEMSA, whatever it takes, whatever it costs,” he said a day before sending senior health officials home.
In the renaming of the ministries, the portfolio of the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary has been expanded to include the ministry of foreign and diaspora affairs.
The Ministry of Public Service Gender and Affirmative Action has been reconstituted and renamed as the Ministry of Public Service Performance and Delivery Management.
The Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage has been reconstituted and renamed as as Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.
The Ministry of Youth Affairs, Arts and Sports has been reconstituted and renamed as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
A new ministerial portfolio has been established as the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage.
The State Department for Culture and Heritage has been renamed as the State Department for Culture, the Arts and Heritage and vested in the Ministry of Gender, culture, the Arts and Heritage.
The changes take effect immediately.
Here’s a full list:
Musalia Mudavadi - Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Rebecca Miano - Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry
Alice Wahome - Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Developments
Zacharia Njeru - Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation
Peninah Malonza - Ministry of East African Community, The ASALs and Regional Developments.
Alfred Mutua - Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife
Moses Kuria - Ministry of Public Service Performance, and Delivery Management.
Aisha Jumwa - Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage
For Principal Secretaries, Ruto also reshuffled the team.
Julius Koror - State Department of Water and Sanitation.
Geofreey Kaituko - State Department of Shipping and Maritime Affairs.
Shadrack Mwadime - State Department of Labour and Skills Development
Paul Rono - State Department of Crop Development.
Idris Dokota - State Department for Cabinet Affairs.
Ann Wango’mbe - State Department of Gender and Affirmative Action.
Veronica Nduva - State Department for Performance and Delivery Management.
Harsama Kello - State Department of Asal and Regional Development.
The reshuffle which was initiated in line with Article 132 (2)(e) of the Constitution saw Willy Betty moved from India to Beijing as the new High Commissioner in China.
Ambassador Betty Chebet has been sent to the Kenyan Embassy in France while Stella Orina has been reassigned to the embassy in Berlin, Germany.
Ambassador Tabu Irina has been moved to Dublin Ireland, George Morara to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia while Philip Mudian has been sent to Maputo, Zanzibar.
Issac Parashina has been sent to Abuja, Nigeria, Fredrick Musambili to Rome, Italy and Angeline Kavindu has been stationed in Stockholm, Sweden.
High commissioners moved include Jane Wairimu (Pretoria, South Africa); Col Rtd Shem Amadi (Kinshasa, DRC); Sabdio Dido (Gaborone, Botswana); Jeremy Nyamasyo (Juba, South Sudan); Jeremy Laibuttah (Khartoum, Sudan); George Macgoye (Djibouti) and Joyce Khasimwa (Luanda, Angola).
Others are Janet Mwawasi (Kigali, Rwanda); Kiringo Kubai (Mogadishu, Somalia); Mercy Mueni (Arusha, Tanzania); Abdi Weli (Hargeisa, Somalia); Fouzia Abdirahman (Bern, Switzerland); Sharon Ole Sein (Mdrid, Spain); Maurice Makoloo (Vienna, Austria); and Prof Peter Ngure has been redeployed as the new head of mission, UNESCO in Paris, France.
Other envoys affected in the reshuffle include Peter Munyiri who now becomes the new High Commissioner to New Delhi, India, Emmy Jerono (Seoul, South Korea); John Ekitela (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia); Wilson Kogo (Canberra, Australia); Mohamed Ramadhan (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia); Lt Gen Albert Kendagor (Tel Aviv, Israel) and Mohamed Nor Adan (Doha, Qatar).
In the same breath, Ruto made 14 appointments for office holders as deputy ambassadors.
They include James Waweru (Geneva, Switzerland); Kasera Achayo (Paris, France); Edwin Afande (London, UK); Valerie Rugene (Berlin, Germany); Irene Maswan (Moscow, Russia); and Daniel Cheruiyot,(Brussels, Belgium).
Others are Anthony Mayo (The Hague, Netherlands); Jane Khasoa (UNESCO, Paris); Moni Manyange (Ottawa, Canada); Terry Ramadhani (New Delhi, India); Lynette Mwendwa (Beijing, China); Jackline Moraa (Seoul, South Korea); Arthur Andambi (Tokyo, Japan) and Daniel Mumina (Dubai, UAE).
Shocker. Onjinga unhappy with the government. Truly shocking shockery
Kuria on Thursday hinted that Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua could have played a hand in his kicking out from the Trade Ministry.
In a statement, the former Trade Cabinet Secretary posted an uncaptioned photo of the DPwith whom they have been at loggerheads for weeks.
The post was made a few minutes after Kuria posted a gospel song remarking God will see him through his tribulations.
Kuria in what analysts and political experts interpreted as demotion was moved from the Trade docket to the role of Public Service.
Gachagua had last month called out Kuria over what he termed as an arrogant approach when addressing the rising cost of fuel.
“You do not address your employer (Kenyans) with arrogance. Do so with humility and decorum,” Gachagua warned Kuria.
This was after Kuria told Kenyans that the price of fuel would increase every month and anyone who was discontent could drill their own oil.
Kuria moments after being admonished by the DP, stated that some people were suffering from an inferiority complex.
He later deleted the tweet and replaced it with a sarcastic apology to Gachagua and other leaders who were calling him out for arrogance.
“I have since been advised by people like Boni Khalwale and his master that the statement was incorrect, insensitive, and arrogant. I am made to understand that the price will come down,” he stated on September 20.
The former Gatundu South Member of Parliament was also facing challenges in his Trade docket over strained relations with the United States.
United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai on July 19, refused to meet Kuria during her high profile to Kenya for high-level trade negotiations.
Similarly, President William Ruto left out Kuria as he took a delegation to the United States for the continuation of the trade talks.
Coincidentally, Kuria’s removal from the Trade docket came a day after the US resumed free trade talks with Kenya.
President William Ruto on Wednesday rang Cabinet changes that saw the former Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua lose the strategic Foreign Affairs docket and reassigned to the Tourism and Wildlife Ministry.
After this happened, political analysts likened the transfer to a demotion owing to how influential the Foreign Affairs Ministry is.
Backing up this position is a report by the Associated Press (AP) which linked the transfer to Mutua’s remarks on police deployment to Haiti.
Minutes after the United Nations Security Council voted in favor of Kenya’s bid to send police officers to Haiti, CS Mutua released a statement indicating the government was planning to deploy the police shortly after.
The publication took exception to the fact that Mutua issued a statement before President Ruto which specified when Kenya would deploy police officers to the North American country.
Instructively, when he issued his statement, President William Ruto steered clear of making pronouncements on when the police officers would be deployed.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Dr Brian Mutie, a governance, law and democracy expert, hinted at the possibility of a ministerial gaffe.
Mutie explained that there is a two-tier process for issuing official statements on such a weighty matter.
The first, according to the governance expert, is for the relevant ministry to prepare two statements; one for the Head of State and another for the Cabinet Secretary.
The Foreign Affairs team then forwards the President’s speech to his handlers who finetune it and tailor it to suit what the President would ideally like to articulate.
“The problem is that the President’s team does not have the opportunity to look at what the CS’s speech looks like so it does not supersede that of the President in terms of content and autonomy,” Mutie pointed out while speculating on what could have gone wrong.
“It could also be that he was allowed to speak about the technical bit of the mission and the President was supposed to speak on overarching issues that are a bit more encompassing.”
On Mutua issuing a statement before the Head of State, Mutie explained that is usually part of the protocol where a CS speaks first on something that concerns his docket.
According to protocol, the President then reaffirms or gives a different view which now becomes the official cabinet position.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary takes over from Alfred Mutua who has since been moved to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.
In March 2023, Ruto assigned Gachagua some foreign policy roles including directing engagements between international organizations and missions and government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), roles which Mudavadi will now take over.
Before Gachagua was given the roles, it had been a reserve of the Foreign Affairs Ministry to run the country’s relations with foreign missions and organizations
With Musalia given control of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gachagua’s role in the key docket will be clipped. 
In the now-to-be-revoked responsibilities, diplomatic missions had been asked to work directly with the Office of the Deputy President.
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The Deputy President is yet to comment on the new developments and his now reduced powers.
Wednesday’s cabinet changes caught the country by surprise, with observers intimating that some CSs were also unaware of the pending reshuffle.
The cabinet reshuffle yesterday might have been a diversionary tactic, to take our attention from the sale of Telcom Kenya to a “UAE company”, Infrastructure Corporation Africa (ICA).
Under Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, the Government of Kenya bought back 60% of Telcom shares from Helios, thereby ensuring the full acquisition of the corporation and all its assets.
The Telcom assets include strategic national security infrastructure, communications systems, and data systems. Having it in the hands of foreigners therefore leaves the country exposed to espionage, through exclusive access to phone and data networks.
Someone out there would be in a position to spy on the Army, and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) among other institutions.
Further, Telcom owns a big part of the undersea optic cable which is part of the internet infrastructure that supports even the private sector.
It also owns prime land assets across the country. Yesterday we learned that Ruto’s administration was in the process of selling 60% of this critical institution to a foreign shadowy agency.
The details of this deal are scanty and there is no information on how the decision was arrived at or how much money is involved.
Why the rush to sell the institution to another company even before parliament tables its report on an ongoing probe regarding the share buyback by GoK from Helios?
Also, has the privatization law as it is today been followed in this process?
Has parliament scrutinized this sale? Is the auditor general involved?
As stated above, Telcom owns various properties around the country, one of them being a huge track of land on Ngong road which the former president Uhuru Kenyatta had developed and built some good sports facilities. Recently, the court ordered that the government pay Telcom ksh 11 billion for this land. If Telcom is fully owned by the government, this decision becomes null and void.
Now, if the corporation is transferred to this UAE company, it means that the government will have to pay ksh 11 billion to Telcom, greatly benefiting its new owner/s.
This brings us to some critical questions;
Who owns Infrastructure Corporation Africa? Who is this person or persons that is about to acquire such a critical national institution that supports trategic security operations, and owns property worth hundreds of billions of shillings?
What is the experience of ICA in providing telecommunications services?
Why did the government in an opaque manner look for an investor in January 2023, before cabinet sat to evaluate the need to rescind the buyback from Helios?
The buyback from Helios under Uhuru was sanctioned by the National Security Council (NSC), was the rescission sanctioned by the NSC?
Now that parliamentarians sensationally probed the Telcom buyback from Helios, will they have the courage to probe this current sale?
