Photos of Matiang'i receiving Uhuru anger DP Ruto allies

Allies of Deputy President William Ruto on Friday lamented what they described as humiliation of the second-in-command after State House shared photos of Interior CS Fred Matiang’i receiving President Uhuru Kenyatta at t the KWS Law Enforcement Academy in Manyani, Taita Taveta County.

On arrival at the KWS Law Enforcement Academy in Manyani, Taita Taveta County, where he is set to chair a Cabinet meeting,  President Uhuru was received by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i and not his deputy who was present as is the protocol.

After being received by the CS, President Uhuru then greeted his deputy who was standing metres away.

Elgeyo Marakwet Kipchumba Murkomen ridiculed the photo saying the DP had fallen below Matiangi in the pecking order and that it was the latter acting as Uhuru’s deputy.

In the photo Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua and Interior PS Karanja Kibicho.

“Deputy President Fred Matiang’i receiving the President thereafter introduce other Cabinet members. Those of us who didn’t witness the last days of Mzee Jomo Kenyatta ‘will see things’ in the next 22 months,”  tweeted Murkomen.

Lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi wondered if there were security recommendation for President Uhuru and his deputy to keep the distance as seen in the photo shared by State House on Friday.

“Is the distance they keep on the recommendation of their security teams?” he asked on his Twitter handle.

Faulted Jubilee

While at Nyamira on Thursday, Ruto lashed out against what he termed broken promises, stalled projects and unfulfilled ambitions by Jubilee administration.

For the umpteenth time, he tore into President Uhuru and ODM leader Raila Odinga's Building Bridges Initiative (BBI), saying it had hampered key projects they had intended to implement.

"We (Ruto and Uhuru) had the national housing programme as one of the Big Four agenda that was aimed at building 500,000 houses every year across the country. The programme was to create jobs for plumbers, carpenters, masons, electricians and engineers.

The DP said he would oppose every attempt to create jobs for a few individuals through the BBI process.

"We always talk about changing the Constitution but this time round,  we are going to engage in talking about changing lives of the poor and lowly in the country," Ruto said.

Ruto also hit out at those who tried to cancel his meeting following the orders from a section of leaders who are against his hustle movement.

"These policemen have no problem. The problem is the people who live in the ivory tower who don’t know the problem that some people are going through," Ruto said.

Restrictions imposed by the National Security Advisory Committee (NSAC) required all political gatherings to have the blessings of local police commanders, forcing the DP to postpone his planned tour and comply.

Super minister

According to Executive Order number 1 of 2019 signed in Mombasa on January 23, 2019, President Uhuru made Matiang’i a super minister.

The order handed the CS an expansive responsibility to chair and coordinate government development programmes and projects.

Matiang'i now chairs the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee whose vice-chairperson will be National Treasury and Planning CS Henry Rotich.

According to State House, President Uhuru will chair a Cabinet meeting, receive progress reports of several national security sector technology projects and preside over an innovation exhibition by young Kenyan techies.

Reports also indicate the Building Bridges Initiative yet to be released report could be on the cards during the meeting.