Anxiety and intense lobbying has gripped President William Ruto’s government with a looming purge, this time, a reshuffle among Principal Secretaries (PS).

The future of the 51 PSs in the Kenya Kwanza Administration now hangs in the balance after the Public Service Commission (PSC) narrowed down the list of persons who can be picked as the next PSs.

This looming purge is meant to pave way for the continuing reconstitution of President Ruto’s broad-based government, with new PSs likely to be picked by the head of state’s new-found allies in Raila Odinga and his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta, as well as new Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.

Even more worrying for the current PSs is the reports doing rounds that President Ruto’s desire is to trim down the number of PSs by 15 positions.

The PSC list contains allies of the aforementioned politicians, and spells doom for those whose appointments were influenced by impeached DP Rigathi Gachagua.

According to another purported list that indicates PSs who will be retained and dropped, which has elicited a public debate, top performing PSs are hopeful of retaining their positions. Reports also indicate that some PSs will be re-assigned in the forthcoming reshuffle.

Among the PSs rumoured to retain their positions are:

– Salome Beacco – State Department for Correctional Services

– Alex Wachira– State Department for Energy

– Joseph Motari – State Department for Social Protection

– Raymond Omollo – State Department for Interior and National Administration

– Abdi Dubat – State Department for EAC Affairs

– Festus Ng’eno – State Department For Environment & Climate Change

– John Kipchumba Tanui – State Department for ICT and Digital Economy

– Susan Mang’eni – State Department for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)

These individuals are perceived as closely aligned with President Ruto’s developmental goals.

Reports indicate that Raila’s camp had demanded for 10 PS positions, but it is understood that only six slots will be available.

Among those shortlisted include former Nairobi Governor Ann Kananu, former ODM nominated Senator Judy Pareno, former Wajir South MP Abdullahi Mohamed Diriye, former Wanjir North MP Ahmed Abdisalan, former Chief Admoinistrative Secretary David Osiany, and Twitter commentator Gabriel Oguda.

After the shortlisting, PSC will conduct interviews and select the best candidates. Thereafter, the list will be sent to President Ruto to nominate his PSs, before being vetted by National Assembly committees.