Season of Rewarding as President Uhuru Recycles Old Guards in New Appointments

President Uhuru Kenyatta

In his latest appointments, President Uhuru Kenyatta has revoked the appointment of Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Chairman David Kimaiyo. In a gazette notice dated June 24, the President appointed retired Chief of Defence Forces Julius Karangi to replace the former police boss. Mr Kimaiyo has held the position since December 31, 2014.

Former legislators have also been rewarded with positions in state corporations. Former Changamwe MP Ramadhan Kajembe, who has since fallen out with ODM and Raila, has been rewarded as the new Kenya Ferry Services chair. Former Rarieda MP Raphael Tuju will now be the head of Lake Basin Development Authority a position that he takes from TNA’s Secretary General, Onyango Oloo.

Ronald Osumba, who contested the 2013 elections as the running mate of Kenya National Congress’s Peter Kenneth, has been appointed Youth Fund board chairperson.

Former NACADA Chair, John Mututho was transferred to Transport Licensing Appeals Board. Former Committee of Experts chairman Nzamba Kitonga as the chair of Council for Legal Education.  Suspended Labour Cabinet secretary Kazungu Kambi appointed as the chairperson of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF). Kambi was linked to corruption deals at the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and the EACC recommended for him to be charged withgraft. He’s yet to clear his name.

Former Bumula MP Bifwoli Wakoli

Former Bumula MP Bifwoli Wakoli, who had earlier declared his support for Jubilee, has been named to chair the Agricultural Development Cooperation while Patrick Osero, a close ally and business partner to Deputy President William Ruto is the new Tourism Finance Corporation Board chairperson.

Patrick Osero is implicated in a land grabbing scandal of 1200 acres in Ruai meant for Nairobi County Gov’t Sewerage using a company called RENTON Co. LTD. Osero is also listed as one of the directors of Weston Hotel and at a point during the helm of Langata Primary School land grab fiasco, he was named as the ‘owner’ of the hotel. The Deputy President after vehement denials later owned up and admitted ownership of the hotel.

Appointments to state corporations as country gears for the next general elections in months, couldn’t have happened at a better time when the president and the opposition are strategizing on how to capture votes. Historically, such appointments have been used to gain political favours, rewarding friends and not awarded necessarily on merits since the appointed are meant to return hand by campaigning in favour during the elections.

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