This archive report was first published on 30 September 2019.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has been working tirelessly to recraft the political state, a process that has taken 21 months to complete. The recent restructuring of the Presidential Delivery Unit, Cabinet reshuffles, and strengthening of information flow from the grassroots are key components of this new structure.
According to insiders, President Kenyatta's new strategy aims to stabilise the administrative state, which has been a major concern for the President. The recent ceremonial handshake between President Kenyatta and Raila Odinga, the leader of the opposition, has also helped to redefine the Kenyatta succession plan.
During his first term, President Kenyatta was often overshadowed by his Deputy President, William Ruto, who was seen as a shrewd political operator with impeccable grassroots connections. However, President Kenyatta has now taken steps to weaken the political system by using administrative and security apparatus to clamp down on financial structures that financed the rogue political state.
The State has made swift changes in key institutions, including the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Police Service, Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, and Kenya Revenue Authority. These institutions are now manned by career intelligence officers and detectives, who have the blessings of the President.
President Kenyatta has also taken steps to showcase the rot within the judicial structure, where he has no control. The extradition of the Akasha brothers to the US, where they pleaded guilty to trafficking, is a case in point. The President has used this case to demonstrate the need for a clean-up of the system.
With the confidence of a big cat, President Kenyatta has made significant moves in the reorganisation of the administrative state. The appointment of Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i as chairperson of the National Development Implementation and Communication Committee is a key example. This committee is mandated to supervise the execution of government programmes, and its establishment marks a significant shift in power dynamics.
