On Wednesday, President William Ruto announced his second batch of Cabinet Secretary nominees after dissolving his Cabinet on 11th July following weeks of deadly anti-government protests.
Ruto said he was working towards forming a broad-based government that reflects the face of Kenya.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s negotiation with the appointing authority (President William Ruto) has secured 35% of cabinet appointments, translating to seven seats, for Mt. Kenya, ensuring a strong regional presence in the government.
This strategic representation positions the region to benefit from increased development projects and resource allocation, in attempts by the Ruto administration to keep it content, even as Raila Odinga’s ODM joins the government.
Seats held by the vote-rich block in new appointments by the Head of State include the Ministries of Interior, Agriculture, Lands, and Public Service. Others are Water, Tourism, and ICT.
With this latest development in Ruto’s cabinet, political analysts view Gachagua as a formidable politician able to push for his voting block’s interests and that he has transformed from a novice to an influential figure in government.
It is emerging, that during the negotiations with the President, the DP did not budge and President Ruto had to sacrifice his cabinet slots, for Raila Odinga, whose party ODM was allocated four positions of Energy, Treasury, MSMEs, and Mining.
Gachagua’s influence within the political sphere has increased considerably. His successful negotiations and the retention of cabinet slots highlight his growing power and status as a key political player in Kenya.
Initially viewed as a light weight, the DP has significantly grown politically in the last few months, something pundits say points to his maturity and acumen in the game.
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