Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua addresses a congregation at Kimugul Primary School grounds on August 17, 2024.
Jitters have gripped the top echelons of President William Ruto's administration over a possible reshuffle following the impeachment of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The reshuffle, sources said, could extend to Parliament and affect the leadership of the House as well as committee chairmanships.
Changes in parliament are likely to be influenced by the roles played by some lawmakers in the ongoing impeachment process, with those perceived as allies of Mr Gachagua likely to be the biggest political casualties.
In the executive, the president is likely to reshuffle his principal secretaries to look after the interests of his new allies, including opposition leader Raila Odinga. The president dissolved his cabinet in July in response to nationwide youth-led protests. He included five of Mr Odinga's allies in his reconstituted cabinet.
Mr Gachagua is believed to have had a major influence on key government appointments when they took power in September 2022. Some of the people he influenced in their appointments may still be loyal to him, a scenario that could work against them given the political fallout.
Organising secretary of UDA (the ruling party) Vincent Musau (Mwala MP) told the Nation that the president was widely expected to make changes.
He said the first reshuffle would be to get Mr Gachagua's replacement if he is successfully kicked out. However, he said those in key positions would be judged on their performance and not on who put their names forward for appointment.
"The reshuffle will start with the replacement of Mr Gachagua. I can tell you that President Ruto is a man of surprises. If you are a CS or PS and you are doing your job well without undermining the government from within, your association with another person cannot be a basis to be moved," Mr Musau said.
"The president has a broad view of his team. You may be surprised that a person who may have been seconded by someone else has a deeper relationship with the President," he explained.
He dismissed suggestions that Dr Ruto may resort to former President Uhuru Kenyatta's response to perceived critics by orchestrating a purge of all Mr Gachagua's allies in Parliament and the executive.
The chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), is among the lawmakers with powerful committee leadership who did not add their signatures to the motion calling for Mr Gachagua's removal.
Nyaribari Chache MP Zaheer Jhanda said there was talk of National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah resigning from parliament to take up the powerful cabinet post of Interior and National Coordination, currently held by Prof Kithure Kindiki, if Mr Gachagua is impeached. Prof Kindiki has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Mr Gachagua.
He said he did not expect any other changes to be made as the impeachment is almost unanimous in the National Assembly.
"He may reshuffle the principal secretaries. You remember he mentioned other changes when he named the broad-based cabinet?" he asked.
The fears appear to stem from the aftermath of the 2018 deal between Mr Kenyatta and Mr Odinga, which left a trail of casualties on the political scene after the former president and his then-deputy Dr Ruto fell from grace. The famous handshake also created new power brokers.
In the 2018 deal, Dr Ruto, who was then serving as Deputy President, emerged as the main casualty.
A majority of Jubilee politicians allied to him also lost their plum parliamentary leadership positions in a purge by Mr Kenyatta.
Among his allies who lost their positions in Parliament were then National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale, his then-Senate counterpart and several committee chairmen. Some of the committee positions were filled by Mr Odinga's allies.
Senator Esther Okenyuri, nominated by the UDA, said the outcome of the impeachment process would determine whether the president would reshuffle his administration or not.
"In any case, if and when to reorganise the government is the sole prerogative of the President. The allegations raised in the impeachment motion, especially as they relate to corruption, are very weighty and Kenyans will be waiting to see the President's response," said Ms Okenyuri.
"With the reshuffle of the Cabinet into a broad-based government, there are also expectations in many quarters that even the Principal Secretaries will be reshuffled to reflect the new development," she noted. It is therefore likely that the President will continue the process of reorganising his administration after the impeachment process to reflect the emerging political realities," she said.
The same anxiety is palpable at Harambee House Annex, the DP's seat of power, especially among advisers and staff whose terms of service are tied to his. He leaves and, they too.
