The declaration by President William Ruto on Thursday, July 11 that he is set to announce further reform measures in his administration has left other top government officials, mostly principal secretaries, in panic.
The telling statement, which signalled further re-arrangement in the Kenya Kwanza government, seems to suggest the ministry accounting officers, all 51 of them, are not yet off the hook.
The development follows an unprecedented move by the Head of State to fire all his cabinet secretaries, setting the stage for a fresh beginning in the nascent administration.
The drastic move comes hot on heels of sustained pressure from the youth, especially the Gen Z, who have demanded sweeping changes in the government.
The issues raised by the demonstrating youth include corruption, impunity, and incompetence, opulent lifestyles of public officers, unemployment and high cost of living, among other issues bedeviling the economy.
While addressing the nation at State House, the President said he had listened to the Kenyans.
Only Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who also doubles up as the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs CS, survived the chop.
After the firing, President Ruto announced that the PSs and other relevant government officials will run the affairs of government to ensure seamless operations in the respective ministries until a new Cabinet is named.
“During this process, the operations of government will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials,” said President Ruto. “I will be announcing additional measures in due course,” he added.
However, the President did intimate that further changes could be in the offing, saying he will continue to engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, with the aim of setting up a broad-based government.
Tellingly, he said he is interested in making the government lean, inexpensive, effective and efficient.
President Ruto appointed 51 PSs, seven more than the 44 his predecessor had. Even though the Constitution caps ministries at 22, it is silent on the number of PSs the country can have.
The leeway given to the President, coupled with the pressure from the youth for the Head of State to cut on expenditure on his bloated government, could result in the reduction in the number of the PSs.
He said the new team he is crafting will assist him in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent and irreversible, implementation of radical programmes to deal with issues bedeviling the country.
In August last year, President Ruto gave a tongue-lashing to his top officers, accusing some of them of having no clue of what was going on in their respective dockets.
