My comments in RED.
I have little info on most of these guys & gals. Please feel free to add more on or about them.
With my limited knowledge about these folk I will grade those I know from a scale of A-D. The there is F which means an utterly pathetic decision or choice. Note that the grade will also reflect their suitability for the position.
Musalia Mudavadi: Deputy Prime Minister and Local Government
B+
I think he did a decent job as Fiunance Minister but I was disappointed when he capitulated to kanu (& moi) in exchnage for the VP post which lost him credibility.
Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi was born on September 21, 1960 in Sabatia, Vihiga District. He ventured into politics in 1989 following the death of his father, Mr Moses Budamba Mudavadi. Upon his election, President Moi appointed him minister for Supplies and Marketing. He has gone down in Kenya’s history as the shortest serving Vice-President after Moi appointed him only weeks to the 2002 General Elections.
Uhuru Kenyatta: Deputy PM
D+
His showing as Minister for Local govt was pathetic. His interpretation of rules when appointing/nominating councilors was worse. He thinks he is his father but this is a different country. Rewarded for his support of kibz for abdicating his position as the leader of the official opposition.
Son of jomo 'land grabbing kenyatta'. Many thought he was fresh face but he is his father's son.
KIRAITU MURUNGI: ENERGY
The South Imenti MP holds a Masters degree in Law from Harvard University and a similar one from the University of Nairobi. When the Narc government took over in 2002, Mr Murungi was appointed to the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. He was moved to the Energy ministry, which he has retained in 2005, upon replacement at the Justice ministry by Ms Martha Karua. Mr Murungi has also served as a shadow Attorney -General from 1998 to 2000.
JOHN MICHUKI: ENVIRONMENT and NATURAL RESOURCES
B
I would have given an A if he was in the Roads ministry.
Why was he moved from the Ministry of roads. He was a go-getter who got things done. Remember when he, while in Transport & Communications, clamped on the Ma3s in Nairobi?
He was born in 1932 in Murang’a District. He joined the government service after his ‘O’ level examinations, and was appointed to the Provincial Administration as a clerk in 1957. He was then promoted to the position of district officer in 1961.
The Kangema MP who studied administration in Oxford, has served in the ministries of Transport and Communications, Provincial Administration and Internal Security and that of Roads.
AMOS KIMUNYA: FINANCE
A -
The 'minus' is for making unrealistic predictions about economic growth in Jan 2008. I hope he remains a reformist.
I don't like it when he pandered to politics & mobitelea otherwise he does a decent job when he is not dabbling in politics. Keep out of silly politics and folks will respect him.
The MP for Kipipiri in Nyandarua District, Mr Kimunya was born in 1962. He graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Bachelor’s degree in commerce and accounting. Appointed the Finance ministry following a Cabinet reshuffle in 2006, replacing former minister David Mwiraria. Mr Kimunya has previously been the Minister for Lands.
MOHAMED YUSUF HAJI: DEFENCE
He was born in Garissa District in North Eastern province on 1940. He is the current Ijara MP on Kanu ticket. After completing the East Africa Certificate of Education (EACE), he joined the Provincial Administration as a District Officer and rose to the position of Provincial Commissioner between 1970 and 1997. He first joined Parliament as a Nominated Member in 1998 and was later elected in 2002 and last year on a Kanu ticket. He was appointed the Minister of State for Defence in January 2008.
JOHN MUNYES KIYONGA: LABOUR
Born in 1966, Mr Munyes attended Lokitaung primary school and Lodwar High School for his Ordinary Level and Advanced Level education. He was first elected to Parliament in 2002 on a Narc ticket after which in 2003, he was appointed an assistant minister in the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. Two years later, Mr Munyes was promoted as minister of State for Special Programmes in the Office of the President. In January, he was appointed minister for Water and Irrigation.
GEORGE SAITOTI: PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION AND INTERNAL SECURITY
F
I have no kind words for him. Perhaps I will give him an F-
Crook, scamster, corrupt & overall pathetic. Turn to lead whatever he touches. A bad move. He was part of all major scams including goldenberg & anglo-fleecing.
When Narc came to power in 2002, Prof Saitoti was appointed the minister for Education. In 2008, the Kajiado North MP, was named to the powerful ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration.
He holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Science and PhD in Mathematics, from University of Brandeist (USA), Sussex, Brighton and Warwick University, England respectively. He joined the University of Nairobi as a lecturer in 1972 where he rose to be the chairman of Mathematics Department before he was nominated as a Member of Parliament and minister for Finance in 1983.
He was appointed Vice-President and Minister for Finance in 1989. He has also previously served as the Vice-President and Minister for Planning and National Development after the 1992 General Election.
In 1997, he won the same seat and was appointed minister for Planning and Development without the VP, but in 1999 he was re-appointed VP. He was moved to the Ministry for Home Affairs, still in his capacity as VP.
After the 2002 General Election, he retained his seat and was appointed minister for Education, Science and Technology.
CHIRAU MWAKWERE: TRANSPORT
C -
I hope he uses his 'learning' to further the transport sector but...
Another lousy minister. He runs a ministry where he has a major conflict of interest. He has admitted to owning matatus so he is NOT interested in regulation or safety standard in the industry. He needs to rid himself of conflicts.
The MP for Matuga constituency was born in 1945 at Golini, Kwale District. He first trained as teacher at Kenyatta College, now Kenyatta University between 1964 to 1966 before proceeding to the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom and later to the University of Reading.
He obtained a Master Trainer from the University of Connecticut, USA and a Master of Science in Maritime Studies and International, Transport from the University of Wales in Cardiff in 1982 and 1986 respectively.
Before joining politics in 2002, he had previously served as an ambassador to Harare and accredited to Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho. He has also been a principal at Bandari College. From January to June 2003, he was appointed an assistant minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and from June 2003 to June 2004, the minister for Labour and Human Resource Development.
DR NOAH WEKESA: FORESTRY AND WILDLIFE
I have no idea but should't he have been in charge of the Ministry of Livestock?
He was born on August 21, 1936, in Western Province. He holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMS) from Edinburgh University in Scotland, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Medicine and is a Member of Royal College of Veterinary and Surgeon, (H.SC) in Makerere University College.
Dr Wekesa has been a divisional veterinary officer in Ol Kalou, South Nyanza and Kisii districts and served as the provincial veterinary officer in Nyanza Province. In the political arena, Dr Wekesa was elected MP for Kwanza constituency in 1988. In 1997, he was the presidential campaign manager of former Vice-President Michael Wamalwa.
MOSES WETANGULA: FOREIGN AFFAIRS
C
Another poor chice. We need someone urbane. I would have liked James Orengo for this post. Of course, PNU wanted their guy here but there are much better choices then wetangula.
He was born on September 13, 1956 in Western Kenya. He holds a Bachelor of Law (LLB) Honours from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Legal Studies. He has been an MP for Sirisia since 1993.
He was previously as an assistant minister for International Affairs in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and became a minister when the half Cabinet was named.
SAMUEL LOSURUN POGHISIO: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION
C-
Great. Put an idiot in charge of Information & Communications. The idiot has no idea about where a vibrant communications sector can take us. This is a villager who got lucky.
The MP for Kacheliba first entered Parliament in 1988 and has never lost his seat since then. A former lecturer, the MP was named the minister for Information and Communication when President Kibaki appointed half the Cabinet in January.
DR NAOMI SHABAN: SPECIAL PROGRAMMES
She was born in 1963. A dentist by profession, Dr Shaban was first elected to Parliament in 2002 and was Kanu’s shadow minister for Tourism. She was appointed the minister for Special Programmes after recapturing the Taveta seat.
She has been busy handling the crisis of the internal refugees. She served as senior dental officer in Kajiado District until 1995 when she went into private practice.
PROF SAM ONGERI : EDUCATION
The Nyaribari Masaba MP was re-elected to Parliament in 2007 after losing the seat in 2002 General Election to his perennial rival Dr Hezron Manduku. He has previously served at the minister for Health.
DALMAS OTIENO: PUBLIC SERVICE
He is the MP for Rongo and a former Cabinet minister in the Moi regime.
He bounced back to Parliament after he defeated former MP Ochillo Ayacko in last year’s General Election. Ever since he lost his seat in 1992, Mr Otieno has unsuccessfully tried to recapture the Rongo seat.
His poor choice of party was largely to blame for this. He was for a long time one of the staunch Kanu supporters in Nyanza Province, which was largely considered an opposition zone. But in the run up to last year’s General Election, he radically shifted allegiance to support Mr Raila Odinga and ODM. He is a banker by profession and was drafted into Mr Odinga’s think tank at the party’s headquarters.
JAMES ORENGO: LANDS
A-
I hope he cleans up the mess called Lands in Kenya. Smart guy who should radically change the way land is bough, sold & transferred in Kenya. But does he have what it takes to go after the grabbed land starting with kenyatta?
James Orengo won the Ugenya parliamentary seat in last year’s elections on an ODM ticket. He had been in the cold since the 2002 elections after losing the seat to Archbishop Stephen Ondiek.
Mr Orengo, a lawyer by profession, is also a former presidential candidate. He vied for the 2002 elections in an SDP ticket and lost to President Mwai Kibaki, the eventual winner. He is law graduate of the University of Nairobi.
Mr Orengo is well known for his fight against unjust rule. He has spent a good number of years in detention over his crusade for democracy. Orengo was among the Young Turks who brought about the what can be considered as the second liberation, when he, Michael Wamalwa Kijana, Kiraitu Murungi, Paul Muite and old guard like Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Masinde Muliro and Martin Shikuku formed the formidable Forum for the Restoration of Democracy, a vehicle that nearly pushed KANU out of power.
PROF ANYANG’ NYONG’O: MEDICAL SERVICES
B
By the time he finishes his speech, the patients will have been buried or is he deliberate in what he says? He is a smart guy but his weird pronouncements worry me. why don't we have a health professional or an administration guy here?
He is the Kisumu Rural MP and former minister for Planning and National Development in the Narc regime.
Born in 1945, the political scientist was first elected to Parliament in 1992 . But in 1997, he backed Mrs Charity Ngilu for the presidency in what many said undermined Mr Odinga’s supremacy in Nyanza Province.
He subsequently lost his seat to Mr Ochoro Ayoki but was nominated by SDP. In 2002, Prof Nyong’o teamed up once again with Mr Odinga and have since been bosom allies. He is the current secretary-general of the Orange Democratic Movement party.
OTIENO KAJWANG’: IMMIGRATION AND REGISTRATION OF PERSONS
Born in 1956, the Mbita MP was first elected to Parliament in 1997 on a National Development Party ticket. Mr Kajwang, of the ‘Bado Mapambano’ fame is also considered a staunch supporter of ODM leader Mr Raila Odinga.
He has Law degree from Makerere University in 1982. In Parliament, he has served in the Standing Orders and Public Investments committees. He was also a member of the select committee on the Review of the Constitution, Select Committee on the Death of Robert J. Ouko and Select Committee on the Death of A.W.Ndilinge.
CHARITY NGILU: WATER AND IRRIGATION
B+
Fesity. Considering she represents one of Kenya's driest areas, I hope she makes a difference.
She is one of the renowned political heavy weights in Kenya’s politics. She was first elected to Parliament in 1992 on a Democratic Party of Kenya ticket. She then left the party and joined Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Mrs Ngilu became the SDP’s presidential candidate in the 1997 elections where she came fourth. In 2002, she was among the leaders who formed Narc. She became the party’s chairperson and President Kibaki appointed her as Health minister in his first Cabinet.
In the lead to last year’s General Election, Mrs Ngilu was dropped from the Cabinet after she threw her weight behind Mr Raila Odinga of ODM in the presidential race. He, however, won her Kitui Central seat on Narc ticket.
NAJIB BALALA: TOURISM
A; Almost perfect. He is from the Coast. He knows how important tourism is for Kenya & more so for the Coastals. He should move to make the Coast safer by cracking down on crime & drug smuggling. Of course, he needs the help of the Police & Internal Security. Well, good luck with that!
He is an ODM Pentagon member. He was born on September 20, 1967 in Mombasa. He schooled at a local primary education from Serani Boys before going to Kakamega High.
He later joined the University of Toronto and the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard from where he acquired an international education background in Business Administration, International Urban Management and Leadership from.
The MP for Mvita joined politics in 1998 when he was nominated as a councillor within the Municipal Council of Mombasa. He was subsequently elected as Mayor of the Council.
WILLIAM OLE NTIMAMA: NATIONAL HERITAGE AND CULTURE
C; Past his "appointed by" date. The guy needs to retire or die. Its a pity he is still in a gov't that really needs new/fresh untainted blood.
The veteran politician is one of the longest serving MPs in Parliament. He was first elected in 1983 when he trounced a former Kanu national treasurer the late Justice ole Tipis. During his stint in Parliament, Mr Ntimama has always been a member of the Cabinet apart from the period between 2005 and 2007 when he was discharged from his ministerial post, alongside other LDP ministers, after the defeat of the proposed Constitution during the 2005 referendum.
MUTULA KILONZO: NAIROBI METROPOLITAN
C; What the *ff is this ministry? kilonzo is a gun for hire. He was kanu's lawyer when kanu was stomping on the wananchi. A pity he got in as MP. Even worse that he is in gov't but apart from a car & benefits there is little for him to do.
Mr Kilonzo first entered parliament in 2002 after he was nominated by Kanu, which was his party by then. He had also acted as the party’s lawyer for a longtime. Mr Kilonzo came to emerge as one of the outspoken and brilliant MPs while in the opposition.
He was one of the prominent politicians in ODM before it split. Mr Kilonzo joined ODM Kenya led Kalonzo Musyoka and became one of the big names in the party. During the elections, he easily won the elections on the party’s ticket. President Kibaki appointed him as one of the Government negotiators during the Kofi Annan-led peace talks.
CHRIS OBURE: PUBLIC WORKS
B- ; He did a decent job as Finance Minister. The ministry is superfluous but I hope he can make something of it since he is versed with contracts & finance.
Has represented Bobasi constituency at intervals. Remarkable was between 1983 and 1992, a period during which he served as an assistant minister. Born in 1943, Obure is an alma mater of the University of Nairobi from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce degree in 1968. He also undertook several professional studies that saw him become a member of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and Administrators (CISA).
He later worked with Kenya Breweries as a company secretary and director. Earlier Obure was the company secretary for Bata Shoe Company. He was a prolific footballer with Gor Mahia and Kenya Breweries football clubs.
He had the foundation of his political career at the university where he was the student union’s vice-president in charge of campus affairs. He ventured into national politics in 1969 when he contested but lost the then Majoge-Bassi seat.
He again lost in 1973 won in 1983. He became a casualty of the multi-party elections of 1992, losing to Stephen Manoti who he defeated in the 1997 General Election. Obure has served as Minister for Agriculture, Foreign Affairs and later as Finance minister.
DR MOHAMMED KUTI: LIVESTOCK DEVELOPMENT
He was in the last Cabinet but President Kibaki did not re-appoint him when he named his 17-member Cabinet in January. Dr Kuti, who is a medical doctor, was first elected to Parliament in 2002 on a Kanu ticket.
He was then appointed to the Cabinet in 2005 when President Kibaki formed the Government of National Unity that incorporated Kanu and Ford People into the then Narc coalition Government. And he later left Kanu to join Narc Kenya. Dr Kuti was re-elected on a Narc Kenya ticket.
PROF HELLEN JEPKEMOI SAMBILI: YOUTH AND SPORTS
A former lecturer of Egerton University, Prof Sambili surprised many when she captured the Mogotio parliamentary seat on a ticket of little known United Democratic Movement (UDM) party.
It was her first time into politics and went to pull another shocker by becoming the first woman to be elected by the Tugen community. Born 1950, Prof Sambili was the Director of International Linkages and Study Abroad at Egerton University before running for the seat.
MOHAMMED ELMI: DEVELOPMENT OF NORTHERN KENYA AND OTHER ARID LANDS
B+ ; I am not enthusiastic about the ministry. couldn't it be a department? At least the guy understands the problems faced there. well, good luck!
The Wajir East MP was elected for the first time to Parliament in the last General Election. The MP was born in 1950 and was the Regional Programme Manager of Oxfam before joining politics. In 2004, Mr Elmi was honoured by Queen Elizabeth for his contributions.
BETH MUGO: PUBLIC HEALTH AND SANITATION.
D ; I don't have much faith in her abilities. She is a political survivor rather than much else. A pity she is an MP let alone a minister. The idiot wante to excise land from Lenana School on some fake pretext but intended to 'allocate the land to herself & cronies.
Mrs Mugo has represented Dagoretti constituency since 1997 when she trounced the then seasoned Chris Kamuyu to clinch the seat on a Social Democratic Party (SDP) ticket.
She repeated the feat in 2002 when she resisted the temptation to back her first cousin and then Kanu presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and stick with Narc and easily retained the seat. Previously, she served as assistant minister for Basic Education.
ESTHER MURUGI MATHENGE: GENDER AND CHILDREN AFFAIRS
Won in Nyeri town to romp into the 10th Parliament. She first contested the Nyeri Town parliamentary seat in 2002 but lost during nominations to the former MP P.G. Muriithi. She earned her revenge five years later, trouncing Mr Muriithi at the Party of National Unity (PNU) nominations.
DR PAUL OTUOMA: FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT
I do not know much about him but his credentials seem importnant for the job. I think it's silly to have an entire ministry for 'fishing'. There are many more deserving sub-sectors in agriculture e.g. tea or coffee. In any case, I think this was a ministry designed for political reasons!
Dr Otuoma, 41, is the Funyula MP. He trounced the Vice-President and long-serving area MP Moody Awori in the last General Election. The minister was born at Sio Port village in Samia South. He was a pupil at Khalsa Primary School in Nairobi between 1974-1980 and later joined Eastleigh High School for his O level and Nairobi School for A level.
Between 1987-199, he was at the University of Nairobi where he studied Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine. He also holds a masters degree in Business Administration.
Between 1992 and 1993, he worked with ICRC in Somalia before he quit to join Bayer Africa where he was posted to Johannesburg South Africa as a manager in 1997. He resigned in 2003 to engage in private business.
JEFFAH AMASON KINGI: EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY.
He is the MP for Magarini on an ODM ticket. A lawyer by profession, Mr Kingi tried and lost vying the Magarini seat in 2002 and a by-election later after the High Court nullified the election of Mr Harrison Kombe.
WYCLIFFE AMBETSA OPARANYA: PLANNING, NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND VISION 2030:
All I can ask is... what the F**K????
Mr Oparanya was first elected into Parliament in 2002 on a Narc ticket as the MP for Butere. He successfully vied for the Butere seat in the last General Election on an ODM ticket. Born in 1956, the minister served in the Parliamentary Investment Committee and the Departmental Committee on Finance and Trade.
Joseph Nyagah: Co-operative Development
Lucky guy. He has no standing among GEMA politicians but lucked out as part of ODM's pentagon.
ODM Pentagon member, Mr Joseph Nyagah has a Masters degree in Business Administration. Nyagah served as Kenya’s ambassador to the European Union. He captured the Gachoka seat in 1997 and was appointed Information and Broadcasting minister in the Kanu Government. In last year’s election, Nyagah lost the Gachoka seat to PNU’s Rev Mutava Musyimi. ODM has nominated him to Parliament.
William Ruto: Agriculture
B+ ; Power is what Ruto has. He delivered Rift valley to ODM. he could have been the Deputy PM if he wanted to. A powerful ministry considering Kenya remains an agricultural economy. The B+ is for his unsavoury dealings in YK'92.
Eldoret North MP, Mr William Ruto was born in Uasin Gishu District in 1966. Ruto graduated in 1990 with a BSc Degree Botany and Zoology. He was first elected to Parliament in 1997 on a Kanu ticket. Ruto served in the Cabinet for a few months before Narc trounced Kanu in the 1997 elections. Ruto later joined ODM where he was a menber of the Pentagon team.
Fred Gumo Regional Development Authorities
F ; Warmonger & absolutely selfish. Pity he made it in as MP. As a minister, the scandals from his office will be many. ODM made a big mistake. gumo should have been shunted aside.
Westlands MP, Mr Fred Gumo, once served as Assistant minister in the Office of the President. He started his political career in 1974, when he was elected a councilor in Kitale. He became Kitale Mayor in 1976. In 1979, he was elected MP for Kitale. His second term was cut short by a successful petition against him by the late Masinde Muliro. Former President Daniel Moi appointed him chairman of the City Commission in 1989.
Sally Kosgei Higher Education, Science and Technology
DR Sally Kosgei occupied the top position of Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet under Presidents Moi and Kibaki. She was born in 1949. Kosgei went to Aldai Girls Primary School, Alliance Girls High School, The University of Dar es Salaam and then Stanford University in the US. She first taught at the University of Nairobi before moving to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Kosgei served as the Kenyan High Commissioner to the UK.
