Uhuru restructures Government

President Uhuru Kenyatta has restructured government, in what is seen as taking away Deputy President William Ruto’s operational autonomy.

The President disbanded the institution of the Presidency and replaced it with the Executive Office of the President.

The DP’s allies have latched on the Presidency to claim that the DP has an equal stake in the Jubilee administration.

 By placing the Office of the Deputy President under his armpit, Uhuru appeared to take away the DP’s autonomy of deciding his own diary, including making development tours.

The DP also loses the powers to hold delegations at his Karen residence office and the Harambee House Annex without seeking the authority of the President or being assigned to do so.

Ruto has been meeting envoys in his Karen office and has previously held talks with high-flying diplomats in the same office.

The DP’s budget has been placed under the Executive Office of the President.

The restructuring could deal Ruto a blow coming at a time when his ties with his boss have deteriorated, with his allies in powerful positions being targeted.

The President effected the restructuring by amending the Executive Order No. 1 of 2020 issued in January this year.

Other offices placed under the Executive Office of the President are Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua’s, State House Comptroller Kinuthia Mbugua’s, Chief of Staff Nzioka Waita’s, the DP’s Chief Staff Ken Osinde’s and NMS director general Mohamed Badi’s.

The Executive Order added the newly-formed Nairobi Metropolitan Service to the Executive Office of the President.

Executive Order No. 1 of 2020 lists the NMS Director General Major – General Mohamed Abdalla Badi under the EOP.

The EOP is now officially tasked with implementation of the deed of transfer of functions executed between the National Government and Nairobi City County Government.

 “In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 132 (3) (b) of the Constitution, as read with all other enabling laws, I, Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander-In-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces, order and direct that the government shall be organised as set out in this order,” the order reads.

The order assigns functions and institutions among ministries and state departments, and supersedes Executive Order No. 1 of 2018 (Revised) issued in July 2018.

It contains portfolio responsibilities and changes made in the structure of government.

It specifies functions of the constitutional commissions, independent offices, the Judiciary and Parliament.

Among the functions of the Executive Office of the President are overall policy direction and leadership, a role that will be played by the Cabinet.

The new order implies that the  implementation of the four functions of Nairobi county transferred to the national government will now be under the direct supervision of President.

Uhuru stated his office, will be directly in charge of the implementation of the deed of transfer of the four functions transferred to the national government.

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