DP Ruto speaks on Cabinet formation amid tension in Jubilee

Deputy President William Ruto has spoken for the first time in relation to the Cabinet appointments made by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Friday, January 5.

Mr. Ruto took to social media on Sunday where he dispelled fears of a rift between himself and the President, urging Kenyans, especially Jubilee supporters, to avoid “useless political debates” on the Cabinet positions.

The DP noted that the President should be allowed the space to exercise his constitutional duty of forming a team to help in delivering the Jubilee campaign pledges.

“Kenyans, more so jubilee should avoid useless political debates about positions including 2022 and focus single-mindedly on delivering our manifesto voted for by the people while allowing the President the space to perform his constitutional duty to assemble the team for us,” tweeted DP Ruto.

Kenyans,more so jubilee should avoid useless political debates about positions including 2022 and focus singlemindedly on delivering our manifesto voted for by the people while allowing the President the space to perform his constitutional duty to assemble the team for us.

— William Samoei Ruto (@WilliamsRuto) January 7, 2018

Despite being in the country, Ruto did not accompany President Kenyatta during the unveiling of the first batch of the Cabinet, triggering political tension and speculations that the president and his deputy were not in solidarity on the appointments.

While top Jubilee mandarins have brushed off fears of a fall out between Kenyatta and Ruto over the Cabinet appointments, speculations abound that all is not well in the Jubilee camp.

House Majority Leader Aden Duale tweeted: “We have one government which is led by President Uhuru Kenyatta. All of us, including me and Deputy President William Ruto are behind our leader and we endorse every decision he takes. Those who are speculating on the absence of the DP want to create a controversy where there is none.”

In a surprise statement at State House, Nairobi, President Kenyatta retained six of the 19 cabinet secretaries who served during his first term.

Those retained were Henry Rotich (National Treasury), James Macharia (Transport and Infrastructure) Fred Matiang’i, (Interior and Co-ordination of National Government, and acting Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Education), Charles Keter (Energy) and Joe Mucheru (ICT).

A statement from State House indicated that Cabinet Secretaries who were left out in the new list will remain in office until such a time when President Kenyatta will have fully constituted his new cabinet.