Tenability is simply the ability to be justified in a fair way or
rational way.
The constitution gives the president a maximum of 22 and a
minimum of 14 cabinet members and this is quite a rationale size.
However, what surrounds the ability to justify the rationality of the
cabinet size?
Former president Kibaki had a cabinet of 44 members
which was considered quite a chunk. Some ministries were split to
create room for the coalition partners; the ODM side. This size of
cabinet made government very redundant as ministers overlapped each
other in duties while some simply lacked a clear operating niche. What
resulted out of this kind of government were continuous squabbles, slow
implementation of policies, reduced development rate and so much more
towards the negative end.
With the incoming of a new president,
he promised a leaner government that is focused on delivering the
promises and pledges they made. Slightly over ten days after being sworn
in, the president and his deputy have released their desired structure
of government which is made up of 18 cabinet slots. What has been
witnessed is mainly merging of most of the ministries in order to create
a smooth operating platform.
An 18 member cabinet is quite small
and one is left to ask whether all areas of concern will be governed
smoothly. Some ministries have been changed in terms of names while
others have been completely restructured, while a few have been newly
formed so as to facilitate efficient delivery.
Most
importantly, the president has ensured that issues that affect the
country most are put under his office and the office of the deputy
president which is actually a new step in ensuring that government
serves the people in the best way possible.
Personally, I am
pleased that the president and his deputy have considered the
expenditure of running government. In his speech during the opening of
the 11th parliament, he emphasized the need to cut down on expenditure
by government and channel the funds towards development projects. He has
indeed walked the talk by trimming the size of his management team and
he is without a doubt going further to stamp the SRC’s decision to cut
down the legislators’ salaries.
However, the most important
aspect to consider when analyzing whether the new cabinet is tenable is
the ability of the ministries to touch on all agendas laid down and
whether merit will be considered. Well, the latter is yet to be known
but the former is clearly visible.
The cabinet formations have been
structured to ensure that all the agendas that the president laid down
during his maiden speech in parliament and on his swearing in will be
attended to. He has gone to the extent of forming a ministry of
devolution that will allow the national government to interact at an
official capacity with the county governments.
What is left is to
wait and see if merit will be considered so as to inject
professionalism in the government affairs. The president and his deputy
will have to consider a number of things alongside merit and
professionalism: ethnic diversity,
gender equality, consideration of persons with disabilities and lastly,
for political survival, their political friends who have helped them
secure the right to govern this country.
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