Kibaki Cabinet

Listen Muigai is a founding partner at one of the most successful indigenous law practices in Kenya, Mohammed Muigai LLP, where his prowess was undisputed. His legal scholarship, already well developed at graduation from the University of Nairobi in 1983, was solidified at Columbia Law School where he earned his Master’s in Law. Upon returning […]

Listen Immigration Minister Gideon Konchellah, a former military officer, surprised friend and foe alike when he went before a Commission of Inquiry to disown the so called Artur brothers who he described as “dubious international crooks”. Observers expected him to cover up the situation to save the government’s face. The saga came to light in […]

Listen Having been a long serving and successful Finance and Planning Minister, two of the Es — economy and empowerment — wouldn’t be unfamiliar territory for him. He needed to entrust the third E, education, to a veteran. And that fell on no less than George Musengi Saitoti. During his 2002 Presidential campaign Kibaki had […]

Listen It was a significant year, 1953. Kenyan nationalist leaders, among them the country’s first president-in-waiting, Jomo Kenyatta, were sentenced to jail by the colonial government at the height of the emergency period. That same year in Britain, a 25-year-old young woman was crowned queen. Princess Elizabeth had been on a tour of Kenya with […]

Listen During his heyday in politics, Gumo came to be associated with two Kiswahili phrases — jeshi la Mzee and kaa ngumu — which earned him mileage and admiration in a political environment where right connections triumphed over polished speeches and presentation. ‘Jeshi la Mzee’, or Mzee (Daniel arap Moi’s) army, was a ragtag militia […]

Listen That is how Francis Thuita Kimemia reached the pinnacle of Kenya’s civil service, joining the desirable list of the few career civil servants to have ascended to this coveted post. Before him and his predecessor were such notable luminaries as Duncan Ndegwa, G.K. Kariithi, Jeremiah Kiereini, Simeon Nyachae and Sally Kosgei among others. The […]

Listen Muthaura was Kibaki’s replacement for Sally Kosgei, the last Head of Civil Service in the Kenya African National Union (KANU) government. To date, Kosgei is the only woman to serve in that position in independent Kenya. The office is a powerful and pivotal one, and that Muthaura’s appointment came in an extraordinary context only […]

Listen After all, the Member of Parliament for Kieni had checked all the boxes. He was the Secretary General of the Democratic Party (DP), the President’s political vehicle. He was the only legislator to have been re-elected from the President’s home region of Nyeri District (since renamed Nyeri County). He had been part of the […]

Listen Nyong’o had fallen out with Raila Odinga and refused to join his National Development Party (NDP) that swept nearly all the Parliamentary seats in Luo Nyanza. The two were part of a group of Young Turks who worked with elders such as Jaramogi Oginga, Masinde Muliro and Ahmed Bamahriz to found the FORD party. […]

Listen This was not Obure’s first stint in government, having been a powerful Minister under former President Daniel arap Moi, who picked him at the tail end of his regime to replace Chris Okemo as Minister for Finance following an outcry from international donors. At the time, the BBC reported that the reshuffle was “an […]