Uhuru shames three Cabinet Secretaries at a public forum

Three Cabinet Secretaries accompanying President Uhuru Kenyatta in Namibia suffered embarrassing moments as the Head of State publicly dressed them down, even questioning their seriousness in addressing issues raised by Kenyans living in diaspora.

Foreign Affairs CS Monica Juma, Trade and Industrialization CS Peter Munya and Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri had their faces bowed in shame, as a visibly agitated President Kenyatta scolded them.

But just what is it with the President?

The scolding came when President Kenyatta spent part of his 3-day tour of Namibia with Kenyans working and living there listening and responding to their questions.

The Cabinet Secretaries accompanying him had a not so interesting time as President Kenyatta reprimanded them one after the other, apparently, for failing to treat issues raised with the deserved seriousness.

CS Mwangi Kiunjuri yet again on the receiving end.

“I am looking now at my brother Kiunjuri, he has just opened his note pad to write down what I am saying…He was not interested in noting down what these Kenyans are saying because it had nothing to do with ministry of agriculture…He is forgetting that he’s a minister in the government of Kenya, and whatever is said here, he should be interested in knowing what are these people telling us…,” said Kenyatta.

CS Peter Munya, who heads the Trade and Industrialization docket was not spared and neither was the President’s private secretary Jomo Gecaga.

“The same applies to you bwana Munya, you are just staring and not just my Cabinet Secretaries, I have a long serving PA, just staring, looking at the time. Its left up to me to remember and in case I forget, the issue is not addressed ( I have a long serving PA, anaangalia tu, anaangalia masaa, inabakia ni mimi nikumbuke, nisipokumbuka, hiyo inaenda hivyo…),” said Kenyatta.

Kenyans in Namibia, just like their colleague citizens in other countries, had complained of delays in issuance of Kenyan passports and other vital identification documents due to government bureaucracy.

“It’s time we started addressing ourselves to realities, Monica I will not say this again, we must agree on a system. We discussed it when we were in France that we will start country by country registering Kenyans in diaspora. We heard it in France, Dubai… why should these people be made to pay money, to fly to Kenya, just to get a passport in order to get back to work?,” queried Kenyatta.

In October 2018, Central Bank of Kenya statistics indicated that Kenyans in diaspora sent back home over Ksh.267B, making them a key contributor to the country’s economy and as such, President Kenyatta insisted they ought to be accorded better treatment by the State.

“ What is difficult about having a team to organize that?  Today these Cabinet Secretaries will not speak to me but the truth must be told, everywhere we go it’s the same issue, the same question, why can’t we put it in place? Monica, can we agree that I will never hear this again in another diaspora meeting? Na mimi sitaki maneno ingine….,” said a visibly angry Kenyatta.

By scolding his cabinet members in public, President Kenyatta yet again raises pertinent questions on his leadership style. Is he becoming too angry? Is he threatening too much with little action?

The head of state and his delegation return to Nairobi on Sunday March 24,2019.