Why President Uhuru Kenyatta's Friday mini-reshuffle could raise questions about his attitude towards Principal Secretaries from Rift Valley, one transfer however, could raise more questions.
Uhuru transferred eight Principal Secretaries in what he referred to as improving efficiency in his government, which has been accused of slow service delivery.
“In order to enhance efficiency and service delivery, His Excellency the President of the Republic of Kenya and the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces Uhuru Kenyatta has made the following changes in Government affecting Principal Secretaries,” Kanze Dena said.
Maj Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa was transferred to Public works after just two months at the Department of Defense, where he had replaced Saitoti Torome.
Kihalangwa was moved from Immigration to Defense in July with his military background perhaps playing a major factor. It's not clear why he could not last for two months at his former work station.
Kihalangwa was hooked from KDF in 2014 and appointed Director of Immigration. In 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta promoted him to PS position in the same department.
In the Executive order number six of 2019 last month, Uhuru delinked the Irrigation department from Agriculture ministry in what was seen by many as clipping the powers of CS Mwangi Kiunjuri.
“To enhance synergy within the Water Sector, which is a key enabler for the implementation of the “Big Four”, the State Department for Irrigation is merged with the State Department for Water and Sanitation to establish the ministry of water and sanitation and irrigation,” the President said.
Maj Gen Kihalangwa's latest move could be attributed to perhaps frosty working relationship with his former bosses at Department of Defense under General Samson Mwathethe.