UHURU TO DISSOLVE CABINET

PRESIDENT Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto plan to dissolve the Cabinet and name new Secretaries.

The Star learnt yesterday that Kenyatta and Ruto have been consulting on the people they hope to name to the new-look Cabinet – as early as next week.

"The two are convinced that a fresh start is the way to go and are actively looking for replacements," said a source familiar with the goings on.

Ruto has been holding long meetings in his Karen office with his allies, the President's personal aide Jomo Gechaga, State House Comptroller Lawrence Lenayapa and Kericho Senator Charles Keter.

Ruto met the four from Tuesday evening until 3.30am the following day. Yesterday, their meeting again went late into the night.

"These meetings are very confidential and one of the issues that has been discussed is dissolution of Cabinet," the source said.

President Kenyatta named his 18-member Cabinet on April 23, 2013, a fortnight after he was sworn in. He then reassured Kenyans of his commitment to put in place a government that would not only deliver on the Jubilee Coalition’s campaign pledges but also transform the country.

It emerged yesterday that Ruto may not have been fully aware in advance of the action that President Kenyatta took on corruption last week.

According to sources, Uhuru shared the text of State of the Nation Address with Ruto only that morning but later amended it to include the issues related to passing on the EACC anti-graft list to Parliament.

"Ruto's face in the Gallery was that of someone who had received news like any other person. He even took longer to stand up as MPs stood up to cheer the President," one source said.

There are also claims that the State of the Nation Address was not even typed at State House or his office and that the first physical copy was made on Thursday morning.

Sources within the Presidency say the long meeting that Uhuru and Ruto held was to help the President explain his action in detail.

However, some of Ruto's allies have confided that he was never shown the list from the EACC or the allegations against those in his office or party.

The issue is said to have triggered a silent war in Jubilee, with some seeing the President as using this opportunity to drop baggage ahead of the 2017 elections.

"Ruto's case at the International Criminal Court is still ongoing and there are those in Jubilee that see it as baggage on the Presidency. Two years is a long time in politics and you never know what will change," a senior Jubilee politician said.

The President’s action has attracted disgruntled voices from Ruto's URP as they accuse TNA of being out to target the DP's people.

The reorganisation of Kanu and the propping up of Baringo Senator Gideon Moi as a 2017 presidential candidate is also being seen as part of the plot.

According to insiders close to Moi, his father, former President Daniel Moi, has asked him not to create any obstacles in Uhuru's path for a second term quest. Instead, Gideon has been asked by the older Moi to prepare himself in such a manner that becomes Deputy President in 2017.