E-Clips:- Business Pictorial - Saitoti And Kiraitu Back In Cabinet After Shuffle

President Kibaki yesterday reinstated Prof George Saitoti and Mr Kiraitu Murungi to the Cabinet and made a number of other appointments, clearly indicating that he has his eyes firmly set on next year's General Election.

He also continued the controversial poaching of MPs from the Official Opposition party, Kanu, by picking three more as assistant ministers.

Prof Saitoti, the Kajiado North MP, who is out of the country, got back his Education portfolio, while Mr Murungi, the South Imenti MP, was returned as the Energy minister.

Two assistant ministers were transferred to new portfolios. Mr Stephen Tarus was moved from the Ministry of Local Government to Defence and Mr Kembi Gitura from Agriculture to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he will be responsible for African Affairs.

Last night, Mr Murungi told the Nation that he was "happy and grateful to the President," vowing to "make a difference" as the Energy minister.

"My performance should be judged by how many power poles I erect around the country and not through political statements and bickering," he said.

He said experience out in the cold had been both wonderful and painful. "Painful because I was treated unfairly and wonderful because of my intellectual pursuits," he added.

Mr Murungi and Prof Saitoti are back in the Government exactly nine months after "stepping aside" on February 14, following the controversy sparked by revelations on the Anglo Leasing scandal and release of the Goldenberg report.

Of the three key Cabinet ministers sidelined over the graft allegations, only Mr David Mwiraria, who held the Finance portfolio, will remain on the back benches.

However, in the latest changes, the President has left the Lands portfolio vacant. Environment minister Kivutha Kibwana has been running the docket in an acting capacity since Mr Amos Kimunya was elevated to the Treasury to succeed Mr Mwiraria.

Kieni MP Chris Murungaru, who has had to defend himself over corruption claims, was also left out of the new Cabinet.

The reshuffle was announced just hours before President Kibaki left Nairobi for a Comesa summit in Djibouti. Some of the appointees said they had been notified that they were being considered for jobs but conceded that the announcement had taken them by surprise.

The appointment of Kanu MPs to government positions is a thorny issue, with the Official Opposition party having gone to court to challenge it.

The Opposition has also called for the law to be amended to compel the President to consult party leaders before appointing their MPs to the Government.

Prof Saitoti's reinstatement is particularly interesting, considering that attorney-general Amos Wako has filed an appeal against a High Court order, barring him from prosecuting the MP over the Goldenberg dealings in which the Government lost billions of shillings in export compensation for fictitious gold and diamond exports.

The Kajiado North MP's reappointment could be an indication that the President might not change his mind regardless of the outcome of the appeal.

The President also named nine new assistant ministers and transferred two others to other departments. He also created two new departments, one for crop production and another for county councils to be headed by assistant ministers.

Two MPs who have played a key role in organising the new Narc-Kenya party nationally — Mrs Jayne Kihara of Naivasha and Ndaragwa's Muchiri Gachara — both members of its national steering committee were appointed assistant ministers.

Mrs Kihara was deployed to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. It was not immediately clear whether she was taking the place of Nobel laureate Wangari Maathai, who says she won't take the oath of office until the wrangling Narc political camps are reconciled.

Mr Gachara moves to the Ministry of Local Government to head the newly created Department of County Councils.

Both Mrs Kihara and Mr Gachara were instrumental in the campaigns for the Nakuru Town by-election, which was won by Narc-K's William Kariuki, the son of former assistant minister Mirugi Kariuki, who died in a plane crash while on a peace mission to Marsabit.

In a further indication that he is keen to strengthen Narc-K, President Kibaki promoted two of the party's three officially recognised MPs from the backbenches to assistant ministers.

Saku's Hussein Sasura, a brother of former MP Abdi Sasura, who also died in the Marsabit plane crash, was made an assistant minister for Roads and Public Works.

His appointment, and that of another newcomer, North Horr MP Ukur Yattani as an assistant minister in the Ministry of Science and Technology, appeared to indicate that President Kibaki's strategists are targeting northern Kenya for his re-election plans next year, should he decide to defend his post.

The appointments leave Mr Kariuki as the only Narc-K MP not on the Government front benches.

The three Kanu MPs to join the Government as assistant ministers are former Cabinet minister Hussein Maalim Mohammed, Gatundu North MP Patrick Muiruri and Bura MP Ali Wario.

Mr Mohammed was named assistant minister for Home Affairs; Mr Muiruri, for Crop Production and Mr Wario, Special Programmes.

Their appointment, too, is an indication that northern Kenya is firmly in the plans of those strategising for President Kibaki's re-election. The President celebrated his 75th birthday yesterday.

The naming of Mr Muiruri, from Kanu national chairman Uhuru Kenyatta's Thika District backyard, added to the frustration of the Official Opposition in its inability to stop its members joining the Government.

Kanu secretary-general William Ruto termed the move a violation of the Constitution, while his ODM-K counterpart Raila Odinga supported the view that the President made the appointments with an eye on next year's General Election.

The other new assistant ministers are Kajiado South MP Katoo ole Metito (Youth Affairs) and Tigania East MP Peter Munya (Internal Security).

Mr Metito was in Machakos Town visiting some of his constituents who were involved in Tuesday night's road accident at Konza, which killed 14 people, when he heard the news from colleagues who called to congratulate him.

In Parliament, foot thumps in praise of the new members of the Cabinet punctuated proceedings yesterday afternoon.

But calls of "Shame! Shame!" echoed from Opposition benches as some MPs who were elevated by President Kibaki walked into the House.

The reaction from both sides of the House moved Speaker Francis ole Kaparo to say: "Let us all applaud them."

Mr Murungi entered the Chamber and tried to avoid the reaction of MPs by taking a seat on the back bench. But assistant minister Ekwee Ethuro nudged him to the front bench as the Government benches cheered him by foot-thumping.

Opposition MPs, on their part, jeered as Mr Murungi took a seat next to Roads minister Simeon Nyachae.

Mr Wario was escorted to the House by assistant minister Abu Chiaba and Aden Sugow to cheers from the Government side and boos from the Opposition benches.

Mr Chiaba and Mr Sugow also fished Mr Sasura from the back bench to the front bench.

The two assistant ministers also escorted Dujis MP Maalim Mohamed into the House as opposition members booed their colleague who had joined the Government. Mr Mohamed, who stood to wave at the opposition benches before taking a seat on the front bench.

On her part, Mrs Kihara was escorted into the House by Labour assistant minister Adelina Mwau to take her place on the front bench.