Tuesday's promotion of Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i is a manifestation that President Uhuru Kenyatta supports meritocracy in his administration, Jubilee Youth Leader Brian Mamboleo has said.

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Through an executive order, Uhuru installed Dr Matiang'i as chairman of powerful National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee, whose roles, among others, will include supervising and monitoring government projects.

And in a phone interview on Wednesday, Mr Mamboleo, who played critical role in Uhuru's victory in Nyamira as party's youth Secretary General, said the ministers elevation came as a result of hard work and focus.

"I am not surprised at all. He deserved the promotion. For six years now, he has diligently dedicated his mental focus towards working for Kenyans and executing his roles without any hesitation," he said.

Further, he added: "And as such, his experience will enable him coordinate all government projects with honesty and report to his boss. It's just an indication that the president cherishes meritocracy and competence. I wish him all the best in his new assignments."

For the last six years, Dr Matiang'i's performance graph has been on an upward trajectory ever since he started a digital revolution in ICT ministry and subsequent re-organisation of the education ministry.

At the Interior Ministry, perhaps his litmus test was last Tuesday during a terror attack at DusitD2 Hotel Complex in which 21 people died. But the swift response by security team saw over 700 people rescued in an operation that took under 16 hours.

In Gusii region, the outspoken minister has assumed community spokesperson position and could be at pole position to command both social and political engagements given the blessing from Abagusii Council of Elders.

"We have Dr Matiang'i as our spokesperson. He has done well at the national level and we stick to him. Ignore those running around without our blessings," council chair James Matundura once told off Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati.

Dr Matiang'i worked as English-Literature lecturer at the University of Nairobi where he specialised in comperative literature before working as a researcher with the National Assembly.

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