Kibaki’s fury over leakage of secrets

By David Ohito and Isaac Ongiri

President Kibaki has upbraided his Cabinet ministers, warning them against leaking State secrets to the public.

An angry President said the continued leakage of confidential Government information was casting the coalition in bad taste, apart from opening it up to opportunistic interference by third parties.

In the recent past, sharp divisions and open rivalry have beset the Cabinet, with ministers trading brickbats over perceived malpractices in their ministries.

A case that has been sticking out like a sore thumb has been exchanges between Justice Minister Martha Karua and Agriculture counterpart William Ruto, even during Cabinet meetings.

Ms Karua, in her typical sharp tone, told Mr Ruto to take political responsibility for the maize scandal in his ministry by resigning from Cabinet.

In the drama sprinkled with heavy 2012 political succession undertones, whose high point was an unsuccessful censure Motion against Ruto, revelations of secret night meetings and sensational claims and counter-claims have left Kenyans asking who between the two is telling the truth.

Dressdown after poll

Yesterday’s dress down of the bickering ministers came hot on the heels of a Steadman opinion poll in which 70 per cent of Kenyans said the coalition Government had achieved nothing in its one year in office, save for ending the post-election violence at the beginning of last year.

Late last week, the clergy had passed a similar verdict on the Government, telling the principals, President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, to their faces that the Coalition Government — which marks one year since the signing of a power sharing agreement — had failed Kenyans.

Sources said during yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, President Kibaki blamed bickering ministers for fuelling the public’s waning confidence in the Coalition Government.

Educate public

The principals told ministers to instead educate the public on the goals and achievements of the coalition, and observe the unwritten code of collective responsibility.

But the meeting was not without drama.

Sources told The Standard that Karua clashed with her Energy counterpart, Mr Kiraitu Murungi, who is battling an oil scandal in his ministry.

Previously, Cabinet deliberations have made their way out by virtue of ministers commenting on its content at public rallies and gatherings.

Last month, an incident in which the President rebuked Wildlife and Forestry Minister Noah Wekesa for disrespecting the Prime Minister leaked out minutes after the end of the Cabinet meeting.

Dr Wekesa had accused the PM of failing in his responsibilities as coordinator and supervisor of Government functions, especially with the food shortage crippling the country.

Wekesa later faxed a copy of an apology letter to Raila to newsrooms.

Over the years, secret Cabinet deliberations have found their way into the public domain, often times causing exasperation at State House.

Sources at yesterday’s meeting revealed that differences between Kenya and Uganda over the boundary in Lake Victoria were also discussed.

Two ministers accused Uganda of constantly breaching international protocols despite inter-ministerial agreements.

Another minister told the Cabinet that agreements reached by ministers were ignored by Uganda just days after signing them.

On the food shortage, the Cabinet directed that maize imports and marketing be liberalised.

Under the new arrangement, the Government would only intervene through targeted food subsidy schemes covering areas and people most affected by famine, including school feeding programmes.

Also approved were two youth empowerment programmes, aimed at job creation and poverty reduction, to cost an estimated Sh23 billion.

They are an emergency youth employment programme under the Kazi Kwa Vijana scheme, and a medium term Youth Employment programme covering expansion of intake and training at the National Youth Service to 15,000.

Aggressive expansion

Under this would be an aggressive expansion of youth polytechnics from 50,000 to 150,000 early next year, and a further increase to 300,000 by 2012.

The programmes are to start immediately.

The Cabinet authorised the sale of houses — developed by the National Housing Corporation — by 33 local authorities, which have problems financing loan repayments that stand at Sh2.3 billion. The NHC would re-invest the proceeds in new housing schemes.

The Cabinet meeting also ratified the Kenya-Turkey Trade and Economic Co-operation Agreement, following a three-day visit by Turkish President Abdulla Gul.

Already, Turkish Airlines has signed a deal for direct flights between Istanbul and Nairobi. Turkey also relaxed visa rules for Kenyans.

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