Things fall apart

President Kibaki put on a brave face Thursday and announced that his new Cabinet appointees would be sworn-in on Friday even as three ministers and 16 assistant ministers turned down the jobs. The President, who spent the day at State House, reportedly went into a subdued mood as the news of rejection of his job offers trickled in. He attended several crisis meetings with his close confidants. Ford Kenya chairman, Musikari Kombo, dealt Kibaki a severe blow when he led his party in a mass walkout from the Cabinet. He pulled out of Government with five assistant ministers: Soita Shitanda, Noah Wekesa, Moses Wetang'ula, David Were and party secretary-general John Munyes.

Earlier, Ndhiwa MP Orwa Ojodeh had rejected a ministerial appointment, saying his community had been given a raw deal while Kitui Central MP Charity Ngilu too declined to take up her former position as minister for Health and said she would first consult her party. By last evening, 16 Assistant ministers had refused to take up positions in the Cabinet the President unveiled on Wednesday night. He had dissolved it a fortnight ago, following the rejection of the proposed constitution his Government was pushing. In the new line-up, Kibaki dropped all former Orange ministers who campaigned against the proposed constitution in a move that completely locked a key partner in the ruling National Rainbow Coalition - the Liberal Democratic Party - out of Government.

Rejections pour in

All hell seemed to break loose as soon as the President finished reading out his new line-up on Wednesday night, when appointees called into TV stations, one after another, to decline the positions. The rejections continued throughout Thursday, with the three ministers dropping the bombshell. Among those who snubbed the call to the Cabinet are two MPs from the President's political strongholds, Mwangi Kiunjuri and Joseph Nyagah. The duo, from Laikipia and Mbeere respectively, are normally considered staunch Kibaki backers and their decision to join the ranks of those rejecting their appointments is certain to deepen the crisis in the Government. Others who declined to take up their assistant ministers' seats are Kivutha Kibwana, Paul Sang, Joseph Nkaissery, Samuel Moroto, William Boit, Peter Odoyo, Stephen ole Ntutu, David Sudi and Zaddock Syongoh.

And as the Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr Francis Muthaura, prepared to swear in the appointees, it was by last night not clear who would show up. Impeccable sources said last night that Kibaki and his adviser and PS, Stanley Murage, and close ally, Njenga Karume, attended a meeting at State House that discussed the unfolding events. Vice President Moody Awori and Attorney-General Amos Wako were also said to have been present at the consultations. It was not clear what resolutions were made, but a Presidential Press Service (PPS) dispatch later said the swearing in ceremony of ministers and assistant ministers would be held this morning.

Crisis downplayed

Kangema MP John Michuki, the designate Minister for National Security and a confidant of the President, said to have taken part in the 14-day consultation before the new team was named, called a Press conference to say Kibaki's Government was not crumbling. Downplaying the obvious crisis, Michuki declared that 24 hours in politics was a long time and added that those who had declined their positions would be replaced. He said there were many MPs willing to take up the positions left vacant, adding that it was a great honour for one to be appointed a minister out of the 222 MPs in Parliament.

He said majority of those who rejected the positions thought they would be appointed ministers. "I wish I could give up mine and it be given to somebody who can do it better. We are here to serve, not for status,'' Michuki said. He took issue with those who declined positions saying they should not have done it through the Press, but through proper channels.

Only one new appointee, Mwala MP John Katuku, showed up at Maji House and walked to the minister's office to take up his seat even before he took the oath of office. Mukurweini MP Mutahi Kagwe, who was appointed Information minister, spelt out his vision also before being formally handed the instruments of office. And as pandemonium ensued in Government, KANU chairman, Uhuru Kenyatta, and the leading LDP lights called for a snap election "to free the country from the dangers of an ineffective and unpopular Cabinet". He, however, said Kibaki still had the opportunity to listen to the voice of reason and agree to initiate dialogue with all political parties, to chart a way forward for the country, in a manner acceptable to all.

"In the absence of this, I am calling on you, Mr President, to take the next honourable action, and to immediately call elections to bring leadership and direction back to Kenya." He said the country was in a crisis and had entered a dangerous phase of its political development. "I am calling upon you, Mr President, as a matter of urgency, to take control and prevent the crisis threatening to divide and destroy our nation."

Walkout inevitable

But even as Kibaki waded through his worst nightmare yet in office the Government's Chief Whip, Norman Nyaga, conceded the Cabinet walkout was "inevitable as the new line-up had failed to appreciate political realities in the country". He blamed President Kibaki's political advisers for "provoking" the crisis arguing they had failed to read the country's political mood and had advised him to lock out popular and efficient MPs in a line-up that also ignored stated expectations of key political parties, and specifically Ford-Kenya. And in an apparent criticism of the new line up, Nyaga said some of the new ministers could not be relied on to effectively take care of the Government interests in Parliament and this, therefore, left it more exposed to hostile Opposition schemes.

LDP challenged President Kibaki to call snap elections now to test his popularity. The party convened a Press conference attended by over 25 MPs and declared it was ready to battle out in the snap polls. Immediate former Cabinet ministers Kalonzo Musyoka, Najib Balala, William ole Ntiamama, Ochillo Ayacko, Prof. Anyango' Nyongo and a host of former assistant ministers attended the Press conference. Langata MP Raila Odinga was absent as he is in Uganda on a private visit. LDP chairman, David Musila, said that the President had shown that he was working with the minority Kenyans after the cabinet appointment. They said that 10 out of the 29 cabinet positions were given to people from one community.

Announcing the party's decision to decline all appointments to the Cabinet, Ford-K accused the President of dishonesty and "shortchanging the party". The announcement by Kombo, who was retained as Local Government minister, came after an urgent National Executive Council-cum-Parliamentary Group meeting at the party's Jaramogi Oginga Odinga House headquarters.

Party not consulted

Kombo said the party was not ready to serve in the Cabinet as it was not consulted before the appointments were made and, therefore, felt shortchanged. "We have been surprised and disappointed that the President decided to take such a momentous decision without any consultation or regard to the view and feelings of my party, its leadership and membership," he said. He said: "Ford Kenya will not take positions given to them in the Government."

He was accompanied by MPs Enoch Kibunguchy, Shitanda, Bonny Khalwale, Were, Christine Mango, Daniel Khamasi, Sylvestor Wakoli, Wetang'ula, Raphael Wanjala, Munyes and Wekesa. However, party members Newton Kulundu, Mukhisa Kituyi and Moses Akaranga, who were named into the Cabinet, did not attend the press conference. Kulundu later criticised Kombo's decision but the stand of the other two appointees is yet to be known. Ojodeh telephoned KTN on Thursday morning to declare that he wished to stand by his electorate in Nyanza, who gave the proposed constitution a resounding No. Ojodeh was the only pro-Orange politician named minister in what was being described as the new "Banana Cabinet". Only one former Banana campaigner, Dr Chris Murungaru, was dropped alongside the Orange brigade.

Raw deal

In declining to take up his appointment, Ojodeh allayed rumours that the Liberal Democratic Party coerced him to quit the Cabinet. Ojodeh said he opted out of Government because the President gave Luo Nyanza a raw deal. "I expected him to at least replace those removed from Nyanza with MPs from the same area and in ministries with equal weight," said Ojodeh. He said the ministry given to him was also inconsequential because it could not assist the people he represents. Ojodeh had been appointed minister for Environment and Natural Resources. The MP was also unhappy that the President allocated 10 prime ministries to MPs from the Mt Kenya region. "The Mt Kenya clique has hoodwinked the Luo community; and, as you can see, this is a tribal Cabinet," said Ojodeh.

Before the flurry of big Nos to Kibaki's appointments, Eastern Province had the lion's share in the Cabinet, with seven positions, followed by Western Province with six. Coast, Central, and Rift Valley each walked away with four slots, followed by one each for North Eastern and Nairobi.