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George Saitoti and Kiraitu Murungi are finally back in the Cabinet after 10 months on the backbenchers.

In a move likely to cause ripples on the country's political landscape, President Mwai Kibaki reappointed Prof Saitoti and Murungi to the Education and Energy docket. which they respectfully held before they quit the Cabinet early in the year following charges of impropriety leveled against them.

Besides reinstating Saitoti and Murungi, the Head of State also appointed nine assistant ministers, mainly from the pastoralist- inhabited north and central Kenya - two regions that have remained steadfast behind his administration.

The move to reward these regions is widely viewed as a political masterstroke in consolidating his administration’s support ahead of next year's general election in the wake of rising antagonism from his hitherto staunch-allies- turned-fierce-critics in collaboration with the opposition.

It is also a show of confidence in Prof Saitoti and Murungi - two men perceived to be among Kibaki's staunchest allies and strategists and who were politically targeted for being the pillars of President Kibaki's administration at its most challenging period over internal and external political intrigues.

The duo emerged at President Kibaki's key strategists when the ruling National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) was split down the middle over the unfulfilled 2002 Memorandum of Understanding and the politically-charged constitutional reform agenda, in a statement released by the Presidential Press Service (PPS). President Kibaki directed that Prof Saitoti, the Kajiado North Member of Parliament, and Murungi. his Imenti South counterpart, resume their duties as ministers for Education and Energy, respectively.

The two stepped down from the Cabinet 10 months ago over corruption allegations. They quit barely a week after Imenti North MP David Mwiraria resigned as Finance minister to pave the way for independent investigations into his conduct.

Prof Saitoti, a former Vice - President, stepped down on February 13 after being adversely mentioned in the report of the commission of inquiry into the Goldenberg scandal. - Kenya's biggest financial fiasco that almost crippled the economy in the 1990s.

In the report, the Commission, chaired by Appellate Judge Samuel Bosire, indicted Saitoti of alleged direct involvement in the scandal and recommended his prosecution alongside other prominent personalities in the Moi government.

However, Saitoti successfully challenged the contents of the report in a constitutional court, where a three-judge bench expunged paragraphs of the report that he said were felonious. The court also barred any criminal prosecution of Saitoti based on his alleged involvement in the Goldenberg scam. Attorney- General Amos Wako declared that he would challenge the ruling, but has yet to file the appeal.

Saitoti is credited with overseeing the implementation of the free primary education programme - perhaps the most successful pledge of the Narc administration to voters, in which more than a million children were admitted to schools countrywide.

Murungi quit the Energy portfolio the same day following allegations that he was involved in a cover-up of Anglo Leasing scandals, the worst corruption case to rock the Kibaki administration, during his tenure as Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister.

Kibaki's former adviser on ethics and governance John Githongo had sensationally accused Kiraitu of urging him to go slowly on investigations into Anglo Leasing security contracts. Githongo, who is in self-exile, provided recorded conversation during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) television.

Mwiraria on the other hand, resigned over his role in the same contracts. However, it is notable that he was not re-appointed despite the fact that the Lands portfolio has not been filled. Another casualty of the Anglo Leasing fiasco is former Internal Security minister Chris Murungaru, who is the Kieni MP. He was fired from the Cabinet and is currently fighting to clear his name in courts locally and in London.

It was during Mwiraria's tenure at the Treasury that colossal sums were paid to Anglo Leasing firms. Some of the money was later wired back to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). The identity of those who paid back the money remains a mystery.

The new assistant ministers are all first timers in Parliamentary politics. They include Katoo ole Metito (Youth Affairs), Jayne Kihara (Environment and Natural Resources), Muchiri Gachara (County Councils) and Peter Munya (Internal Security).

Kibaki also appointed opposition legislators Hussein Maalim Mohammed (Home Affairs) Wario Ali (Special Programmes), Hussein Sasura (Public Works) and Patrick Kariuki Muiruri (Crop Production), all of Kanu, and Narc Kenya's Ukur Yattani (Science and Technology) to serve as assistant ministers in his Government of National Unity.

Maalim Mohammed is remembered for his long stint in the Moi cabinet. But since President Kibaki' s ascension to power, the Dujis MP's association with Kanu has gradually fizzled to the extent that he, alongside Wajir East's Mohammed Abdi Mahmoud were relied upon by the current Government to spearhead the Banana campaign during last November's - national referendum on the draft constitution.

Mahmoud has since been appointed to the Cabinet. Muiruri, largely a beneficiary of the Uhuru Kenyatta-for presidency wave during the last general election, has over the last two years shunned, nay, openly denounced, the leader of official opposition and instead gravitated towards the Government of the day.

Wario, who was also elected on a Kanu ticket, has like Maalim Mohammed, shunned the party and kept a close working relationship with Kibaki's administration.

In other changes made yesterday, Assistant minister Stephen Tarus was moved from the Ministry of Local Government to that of Defence in the same capacity. Also moved is Kembi Gitura from Agriculture to Foreign Affairs where he will be in charge of the Africa desk.