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After the brutal purge on his Cabinet President William Ruto will be walking a tightrope while putting in office new faces as ministry heads. The law requires that, after nominating persons to offices of the Cabinet Secretaries, the President shall forward the names to the National Assembly for vetting to assess their suitability for the roles.

 “The President shall nominate and, with the approval of the National Assembly, appoint Cabinet Secretaries. A Cabinet Secretary shall not be a Member of Parliament.

The President may re-assign a Cabinet Secretary or may dismiss a Cabinet Secretary,” Article 159 of the Constitution reads in part.

On Thursday, Ruto sent home his entire cabinet and announced that the affairs of the Ministries will henceforth be coordinated by principal secretaries until a definitive cabinet is appointed.

 In the National Assembly, the Appointments Committee chaired by the Speaker then vets the nominated individuals factors in their academic credentials, professional training and experience, and personal integrity against the roles of the ministry that they have been appointed for.

 After vetting, the committee tables the report on the floor of the house for MPs to debate on it before the names are forwarded back to the President where the appointees are sworn in office. But these are not the ordinary times for President Ruto, both in Parliament which will vet his nominees and in the general public where he will pick them. Whereas it is claimed that Kenya has the possibility of forming a government of national unity which would see MPs allied to the Azimio coalition cross the floor.

In the event that Ruto succeeds in this move, he may seek to appoint Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya alliance MPs to powerful committees to aid in the transaction of government business in the National Assembly.

Yesterday at a church service in Nyandarua, Ruto maintained that he is in full control of the government adding that the challenges he has faced in the recent weeks have made him a better leader. He told Kenyans to pray for him as he embarks on appointing new cabinet secretaries to serve them.

Fast forward to September 17, 2023, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora CS Musalia Mudavadi hinted that a Cabinet reshuffle was looming. Mudavadi, who was the only Cabinet member who survived the purge on Thurs[1]day, said it was within the President’s right to make changes in government whenever he deemed it long overdue and wise.

“The President is clear about one thing, this administration is about efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to the people,” Mudavadi said.

“The moment any appointee steps out of line or acts in a manner that is inconsistent with this mantra, it is not beyond the President to make changes in senior ranks of the Executive. At an appropriate time and in his wisdom, the President could make such changes,” he added.

 Tough balancing act as Ruto toys with CSs names National Assembly will be called on again to vet fresh names to serve in Cabinet after the unprecedented move the support of the majority of the legislators, will have control of Parliament.

 The MPs in siding with the public to redeem themselves in the eyes of the voters, may indirectly sabotage all government business in Parliament including dismissing the list of nominees for the cabinet. This could include skipping committees where matters with weighty public interests are debated to avoid being further vilified going to the 2027 general elections.

 Government agenda Ruto finds himself at a crossroads as it remains to be seen how he will push the government agenda in the National Assembly which must approve the critical undertaking of his regime.

Key figures who have steered Ruto’s agenda include National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Finance and National Planning Committee chairman Kuria Kimani and his Budget and Appropriations Committee counterpart Ndindi Nyoro. It will be an uphill task for Ruto to con[1]vince Kenya Kwanza MPs who are now fighting for their political survival to support the three since they have already lost their trust in them.

 President Ruto as the Party leader of the ruling coalition could now be plotting to dismantle the embattled House leader[1]ship in a similar manner as the cabinet and push to have new faces into those offices.

The support of the majority of the legisla[1]tors, will have control of Parliament. The MPs in siding with the public to re[1]deem themselves in the eyes of the voters, may indirectly sabotage all government business in Parliament including dismiss[1]ing list of nominees for the cabinet.

This could include skipping committees where matters with weighty public interests are debated to avoid being further vilified going to the 2027 general elections. Government agenda Ruto finds himself at a crossroads as it remains to be seen how he will push the government agenda in the National Assembly which must approve critical unundertaking of his regime

. Key figures who have steered Ruto’s agenda include National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Finance and National Planning Committee chairman Kuria Kimani and his Budget and Appropriations Committee counterpart Ndindi Nyoro.

It will be an uphill task for Ruto to convince Kenya Kwanza MPs who are now fighting for their political survival to support the three since they have already lost their trust in them. President Ruto as the Party leader of the ruling coalition could now be plotting to dismantle the embattled House leadership in a similar manner as the cabinet and push to have new faces into those offices.

 Political undertones are currently stating that President Ruto could the possibility of forming a government of national unity which would see MPs allied to the Azimio coalition cross the floor. In the event that Ruto succeeds in this move, he may seek to appoint Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya alliance MPs to powerful committees to aid in the transaction of government business in the National Assembly.

Yesterday at a church service in Nyandarua, Ruto maintained that he is in full control of the government adding that the challenges he has faced in the recent weeks have made him a better leader. He told Kenyans to pray for him as he embarks on appointing new cabinet secretaries to serve them. Fast forward to September 17, 2023, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign and Diaspora CS Musalia Mudavadi hinted that a Cabinet reshuffle was looming. Mudavadi, who was the only Cabinet member who survived the purge on Thurs[1]day, said it was within the President’s right to make changes in government whenever he deemed it long overdue and wise.

“The President is clear about one thing, this administration is about efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to the people,” Mudavadi said. “The moment any appointee steps out of line or acts in a manner that is inconsistent with this mantra, it is not beyond the President to make changes in senior ranks of the Executive. At an appropriate time and in his wisdom, the President could make such changes,” he added.