Kimaiyo, Lenku out as militants kill 36 workers

What you need to know:

President Uhuru Kenyatta nominated Kajiado Central MP Joseph Nkaissery to take over Mr Lenku’s docket at the Department of Interior.
The President said Tuesday that he had held an early morning meeting with Mr Kimaiyo during which the latter tendered his resignation for personal reasons.
Mr Kenyatta did not at any one point mention Mr Lenku in his address, leaving Kenyans to conclude that he had been sacked.

Beleaguered Interior secretary Joseph ole Lenku and Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo on Tuesday made history as the first top government officers to be forced out by President Uhuru Kenyatta since taking office 20 months ago.

The President acted in the wake of Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Mandera that left 36 people dead.

Mr Kenyatta said in his mid-afternoon live TV address that he had nominated Kajiado Central MP Joseph Nkaissery to take over Mr Lenku’s docket at the Department of Interior.

He said that he had held an early morning meeting with Mr Kimaiyo during which the latter offered to retire early for personal reasons.

“David Kimaiyo has offered to retire. And I have accepted the request,” said Mr Kenyatta. “Further to this, I have nominated Major General (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery as the new Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Co-ordination of National Government. I hope the National Assembly will expedite the process of his vetting and approval.”

Mr Kenyatta made no reference to Mr Lenku in his address, leaving Kenyans to conclude that he had been sacked. With Maj-Gen (Rtd) Nkaiserry’s vetting and approval by Parliament expected to take up to three months, the current CS may stay on for a while.

The President has been under pressure to change the leadership of the security apparatus since last month’s execution in Mandera of 28 people travelling in a bus to Nairobi.

Tuesday’s early morning attack occurred after suspected Somali Al-Shabaab militants attacked a quarry 15 kilometres from Mandera town. As in the bus execution, the victims were selected based on their faith.

READ: 36 people killed in fresh Mandera massacre

If confirmed by Parliament, Mr Nkaissery, 65, will take over the security docket at a time when the country is seeking an answer to a rising spate of terrorist attacks in northern Kenya and the coastal region that has claimed the lives of hundreds of people in the past two years.

Mr Kimaiyo, 54, who was sworn into office in December 2012, had only served two years of his single four-year term.

Unlike Mr Lenku, 44, who had no security of tenure, it would have taken a longer time to remove the constitutionally protected Mr Kimaiyo from office – a reality that may have left the President with the option of persuading him to resign.

Mr Kenyatta has come under increased pressure from the opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) and the Kenyan public to relieve the duo of their duties over their perceived inability to arrest the wave insecurity.

On Tuesday, Cord officials issued an ultimatum to Mr Kenyatta to act decisively or risk a new round of public rallies and demonstrations over the wave of insecurity.

“Enough is enough and if nothing is done in the coming days then something else will happen,” said Cord leader Raila Odinga on Monday.

Cord has also been campaigning for the withdrawal of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) from Somalia – a suggestion Mr Kenyatta has dismissed as ill informed.

Mr Kenyatta hinted at reorganisation of the architecture of the security apparatus, saying that he expects the National Assembly to extend their sittings to review the relevant laws and address weaknesses in the security docket.

“Last week, I directed my government security actors to engage with members of the relevant committees of the Legislature with a view to rectifying administrative and legal hurdles that limit our ability to deal with these very real and existential threats that we face,” he said.

“On Thursday, I expect the final report of their deliberations and recommendations for my consideration and further action.”

Mr Nkaissery is expected to step down from his legislative seat to take over as the Interior secretary. His nomination received unofficial approval in the House with several MPs congratulating him on the appointment.

He was modest in his response. “Mr Speaker, I’m still the member for Kajiado Central and I’m still a member of ODM.

But Kenya is our homeland, our motherland and, therefore, I have to consult the great people of Kajiado Central (before I make my decision),” he said in short statement on the floor of the House.