In the cabinet

Alfred Mutua was right. Kibaki announced a mini-cabinet, filling most of the key ministries, just yesterday while I was somewhere in the air. I'd love to know what Kenyans think about it. My predictions are that a lot will have confirmed their belief that Kalonzo was going to jump in with Kibaki all along. My main complaint about that is, if he was going to 'defect' from the opposition Orange movements, he should have done it before the election, taking his turn to declare "Kibaki Tosha." In fact, given this turn of events, one could argue that Kalonzo might have helped to avoid the chaos that erupted post election, by contributing his presidential votes to Kibaki's effort, giving Kibaki enough support for a legitimate win. Whether that would have prevented rigging, just for additional certainty, is another question, and whether ODM would have still cried foul in the same way, is yet another.

The new cabinet, as reported by the Daily Nation

"Following is the full list of Cabinet appointments:

• Vice President and Minister for Home Affairs Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka;
• Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security, Prof George Saitoti;
• Minister of State for Defence Yusuf Mohamed Haji;
• Minister of State for Special Programmes Dr Naomi Namsi Shabaan;
• Minister for Public Service Asman Abongotum Kamama;
• Minister for Finance Amos Muhinga Kimunya;
• Minister for Education Prof Sam Ongeri;
• Minister for Foreign Affairs; Moses Wetang’ula;
• Minister for Local Government Uhuru Kenyatta;
• Minister for Information and Communications Mr Samuel Lesuron Poghisio;
• Minister for Water and Irrigation John Munyes;
• Minister for Energy Mr Kiraitu Murungi;
• Minister for Roads and Public Works John Njoroge Michuki;
• Minister for Science and Technology; Noah M. Wekesa;
• Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ms Martha Karua;
• Minister for East African Community Dr Wilfred Machage;
• Minister for Transport Chirau Ali Mwakwere."
  

The most surprising to me, apart from Kalonzo as the VP (it's somehow a shame that Unco Moody and his nice hats will no longer be gracing Kenyan TVs with their presence on a daily basis), is George Saitoti as Minister for Internal Security. Although it's quite a switch from Education, his latest file after being reinstated post-corruption scandal fall-out (so much for a 'clean hands cabinet' by the way), he was, at one point in the past, VP. And has, if I'm not mistaken, also been Minister of Finance.

Without saying too much, given that most of what I know about it is rumour and/or heresay, Saitoti's appointment does not bode particularly well for certain friends of mine involved in Kenyan civil society. They had joked before the election that if both he and Kibaki return, they'll have to seek alternative citizenship. The fact that their jokes were only 50% intended humour and 50% fearing for their safety makes me worry for them.