KIBAKI'S SUPER-SIZE CABINET

C O N F I D E N T I A L NAIROBI 005158 SIPDIS SIPDIS LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2025 TAGS: PGOV ECON PREL KDEM KE SUBJECT: KIBAKI'S SUPER-SIZE CABINET Classified By: Political Counselor Michael J. Fitzpatrick for reasons 1.4 (b,d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: After nearly a week of wheeling and dealing, President Kibaki December 14 swore in a second tranche of Ministers and Assistant Ministers. This was only after acceding to appointed ministers Charity Ngilu and Musikari Kombo's demands of seats at the table for their party members. When the dust finally settled, the number of ministries had ballooned from 25 to 34, attracting criticism that the bloated body would bust the budget, and that it goes entirely against the grain of earlier promises of leaner government. Kibaki's narrowing of the ethnic base of his cabinet and bartering away seats on it highlights his greatly weakened base for effective or clean government, and is thus a cause for concern. END SUMMARY. STILL SOME SWEARING TO DO -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Following nearly a week of negotiations, President Kibaki and holdouts Charity Ngilu and Musikari Kombo finally came to an agreement which allowed the nominated ministers to accept the positions for which they had been chosen, and bring up four fellow party members who had initially turned down assistant ministerships. On December 14, President Kibaki swore in six full ministers: Charity Ngilu (Health); Musikari Kombo (Local Government); Noah Wekesa (Science and Technology); Soita Shitanda (Housing); John Munyes (Special Programs). Accommodating Ngilu and Kombo's demands required Kibaki to create three new ministries (Defense, to be run by Njenga Karume; Housing, and Science and Technology). The President gave Karume's original assignment, Special Programs, to Munyes. Making room for the additional ministers brought the total number of ministries to 34. The Kombo-Ngilu deals also included five assistant ministers from their respective parties, including two FORD-K nominees who had initially said no, bringing the number of assistants to ¶53. All told, the full cabinet list of ministers and assistants (including the President, Vice President and Attorney General) has ballooned to a massive 88 members. There are still a number of assistant minister-level seats that may or may not be filled; those names along with new permanent secretaries are likely to be announced in coming days. (See full list in paragraph six.) ¶3. (SBU) Notably absent from the second round of swearing-in was Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai who was reappointed as Assistant Environment Minister. Maathai has not refused her position, but has said she will not take up the job until Kibaki has attempted dialogue with NARC leaders. Also yet to take his oath of office is David Mwenje, who has been traveling out of Kenya, although media reports indicate that, inspired by Ngilu and Kombo, he will try to bargain with Kibaki for a full ministership. ALL THEY EVER HOPED FOR? -------------- ¶4. (C) Civil society leaders are generally disappointed with the composition of the new cabinet, and the method by which Kibaki selected it. The Institute for Education in Democracy's Okero Otieno told Poloff that the "desperate" president had defeated the purpose of having a cabinet in appointing so large a body packed with his "cronies." Otieno added that he and other civil society organizations had hoped for a leaner cabinet as well as an agenda for constitutional reform, an issue that has been sidelined since the referendum on November 21. The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) commented to Poloff that Kibaki, in an attempt to ensure his survival, did not name his cabinet through careful consideration, but rather had looked only to reward a particular region. The LSK condemned the use of public resources to appease politicians, noting that the president's move would create an unnecessary strain on the budget and hinder the delivery of services. COMMENT: RENT-A-CABINET -------------- ¶5. (C) Kenya's largest post-independence cabinet and the deal-making through which Kibaki assembled it are cause for serious concern. The body is inherently unstable and casts in sharp relief precisely why the country needs a new constitution: to guard against consolidation of power in the hands of one man (and a few key advisors, or tribes). The new cabinet also flies in the face of NARC promises of a leaner and cleaner government and a focused development agenda. It is disappointingly clear that "inclusive" for the Kibaki government does mean more -- more of the same (the new cabinet is almost entirely Bantu dominated). The government may have just gotten broader, but its foundation just got that much weaker. CABINET LINEUP: THE SEQUEL -------------- ¶6. (U) As of December 16, Ministers and Assistant Ministers in the Kenyan government are as follows: -- President Mwai Kibaki -- Vice President & Minister of Home Affairs: Moody Awori -- Minister of State for Provincial Administration & National Security: John N. Michuki -- Assistant Minister for Internal Security: Mirugi Kariuki -- Assistant Minister for Provincial Administration: Joseph Kingi -- Minister of State for Special Programs: John Munyes -- Assistant Minister: Vacant -- Minister of Defense: Njenga Karume -- Assistant Minister: Vacant -- Minister of State for Immigration & Registration of Persons: Gideon Konchelah -- Assistant Minister: Ananiah Mwaboza -- Minister of State for Public Service: Moses Akaranga -- Assistant Minister: Boniface Mghanga -- Minister for Finance: David Mwiraria -- Assistant Minister for Monetary, Fiscal & Investment Affairs: Peter Kenneth -- Assistant Minister for Financial Management Affairs: Vacant -- Minister for Health: Charity Ngilu -- Assistant Minister Medical Services: Wilfred Machage -- Assistant Minister for Public Health: Samuel Moroto -- Assistant Minister Health: Enoch Kibunguchy -- Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs: Martha Karua -- Assistant Minister: Vacant -- Minister for Foreign Affairs: Raphael Tuju -- Assistant Minister for International Affairs: Moses Wetangula -- Assistant Minister for African Affairs: Danson Mungatana -- Minister for Information and Communications: Mutahi Kagwe -- Assistant Minister for Information: Koigi Wa Wamwere -- Assistant Minister for Communications: David Were -- Minister for Trade and Industry: Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi -- Assistant Minister for Trade: Abdirahman Ali Hassan -- Assistant Minister for Industry: Petkay Miriti -- Minister for Tourism and Wildlife: Morris Dzoro -- Assistant Minister for Tourism: Raphael Muriungi -- Assistant Minister for Wildlife: Kalembe Ndile -- Minister for Agriculture: Kipruto Arap Kirwa -- Assistant Minister for Research & Extension Services: Peter Kaindi -- Assistant Minister for Production and Marketing: Kembi Gitura -- Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development: Joseph Munyao -- Assistant Minister for Livestock Development: Vacant -- Assistant Minister for Fisheries Development: Abu Chiaba -- Minister for Co-Operative Development and Marketing: Peter Ndwiga -- Assistant Minister for Agricultural Sector: Vacant -- Assistant Minister for Service Sector: David Mwenje -- Minister for Education: George Saitoti -- Assistant Minister for Basic Education: Beth Mugo -- Assistant Minister for Higher Education: Kilemi Mwiria -- Minister for Lands: Amos Kimunya -- Assistant Minister for Lands: Asman A. Kamama -- Minister for Water: Mutua Katuku -- Assistant Minister for Water Resource Management: Raphael Wanjala -- Assistant Minister for Water Services: A.A. Sugow -- Minister for National Heritage:Suleiman Shakombo -- Assistant Minister: Vacant -- Minister for Youth Affairs: Mohammed Kuti -- Assistant Minister: Cecily Mbarire -- Minister for Local Government: Musikari Kombo -- Assistant Minister for Urban Authorities: Ishak Shaaban -- Assistant Minister for County Councils: Stephen Tarus -- Minister for Roads and Public Works: Simeon Nyachae -- Assistant Minister for Roads: Joshua Toro -- Assistant Minister for Public Works: Vacant -- Minister for Science and Technology: Dr. Noah Wekesa -- Assistant Minister: Vacant -- Minister for East African Community: John Koech -- Assistant Minister: Bonny Khalwale -- Minister for Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services: Maina Kamanda -- Assistant Minister for Gender and Social Services: Alicen Chelaite -- Assistant Minister for Sports: J.O. Onyanchah -- Minister for Transport: Chirau Ali Mwakwere -- Assistant Minister for Port, Rail, and Road Transport: Njeru Githae -- Assistant Minister for Civil Aviation and Met: Vacant -- Minister for Regional Development Authorities: Abdi Mohamed -- Assistant Minister: Titus Ngoyoni -- Minister for Energy: Kiraitu Murungi -- Assistant Minister for Petroleum Energy: Vacant -- Assistant Minister for Electricity Mwangi Kiunjuri -- Minister for Housing: Soita Shitanda -- Assistant Minister: Betty Tett -- Minister for Environment and Natural Resources: Prof. Kivutha Kibwana -- Assistant Minister for Environment: Wangari Maathai -- Assistant Minister for Natural Resources: Vacant -- Minister for Labor and Human Resource Development: Newton Kulundu -- Assistant Minister for Labor Relations: Sammy Leshore -- Assistant Minister for Manpower Management: Adelina Mwau -- Minister for Planning and National Development: Henry Obwocha -- Assistant Minister for Planning: David Ekwee Ethuro -- Assistant Minister for National Development: John Serut -- Attorney General: Amos Wako BELLAMY