Written by David Indeje 2012-01-26 16:03:00 Read 629 Times

 Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Head of Civil Service Ambassador Francis Muthaura have stepped aside from their dockets.

Subsequently, President Mwai Kibaki has accepted the resignation of Uhuru as the Finance Minister

A statement from the Presidential Press Service said Francis Kimemia has been appointed in an acting capacity as the Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet while Metropolitan Minister Njeru Githae will act as Finance Minister.

However, Uhuru will retain the position of Deputy Prime Minister in accordance with the Constitution.

“The president has accepted the decision by Kenyatta to step aside as the Minister for Finance. However, he will retain the position of Deputy Prime Minister in accordance with the Constitution,” the statement read.

 The position of prime minister and two deputies were created in 2008 under the National Accord as part of a deal to end the electoral violence that led to the formation the coalition government.

The Accord says, “The Deputy Prime Minister also can be removed if two thirds majority of MPs pass a vote of no confidence against him or if the coalition is dissolved.”

In handing his resignation letter, the Gatundu mp said he had discussed at length with the President before he accepted it noting that the finance ministry serves many Kenyans and it needed maximum attention and that he did not wish to mix it with other external affairs.

“The Ministry of Finance deals with very sensitive issues that affect the lives of millions of Kenyans and therefore requires maximum attention. I am not one to juggle the affairs of such an important portfolio with the baseless mob lynch mentality that is being orchestrated in some quarters,” read Uhuru’s statement to the media.

He said he was now embarking on traversing the nation to assure the youth of his vision of having a peaceful Kenya saying, “…my conscience is clear, my will is strong and my resolve remains undeterred.”

“I now look forward to meeting you all at the grassroots as I traverse the countryside to reassure you all that our mission to give hope to the youth of this country, our vision of seeing a peaceful Kenya and our firm resolve to transform Kenya into a modern first class economy is still on course."