5 Interesting Change Of Roles Kenyans Witnessed In 2022

Change is inevitable and change happens all the time. When it comes, it is up to us to embrace it, even if it comes as a grand shock to us.

In 2022, Kenyans have borne witness to Earth-shaking events in the country and around the world whereby some of the biggest roles have been passed from veterans of the game to those who have big shoes to fill to match them or surpass them.

Viral Tea takes a look at the change in roles that got Kenyans talking in 2022

Uhuru Hands Over Presidency To Ruto

2022 was a year Kenyans witnessed arguably the most bizarre handover in the nation’s modern history, that of former President Uhuru Kenyatta to President William Ruto.

Before that, the two had fallen out despite serving in the same government, with Ruto being a Deputy President at that time, a junior to Uhuru. After Ruto was dropped officially from the Jubilee party in February 2022, he went on a ruthless campaign spree under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party, the sporadic wave forcing the former president to join hands with Raila Odinga in Azimio.

Still, that failed to steer Azimio to victory in the August 9 general elections as Ruto won against the odds to become Kenya’s fifth president in a controversial election that saw four out of the seven Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioners reject the results over allegations of rigging.

Uhuru then stayed for days without congratulating him, even after Ruto won in the Supreme Court battle, until the eve of the inauguration day. On Tuesday, September 13, the two sent the crowd at Kasarani Stadium roaring loudly after Uhuru happily handed over the instruments of power to President Ruto.

King Charles Takes Over From Queen Elizabeth

On Thursday, September 8, reports went rife that Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom (UK) was put under medical supervision after Buckingham Palace said her doctors were "concerned" for her health.

The 96-year-old head of state, considered to be Britain's longest-serving monarch, was affected by health problems since last October that left her with difficulties walking and standing. This sparked curiosity across the world and even led to the uncovering of a secret plan the UK had planned for years in the event of her eventual demise, dubbed Operation London Bridge.

At 8.30 pm Kenyan time, the Royal Family officially announced her death through a statement on Twitter. 

Later, her son Charles took over the reins to become the next King and could take up to the end of the first quarter of 2023 for him to be formally crowned king at a coronation ceremony.

Susan Nakhumicha Wafula Takes Over From Mutahi Kagwe as Health CS

The position of Health Cabinet Secretary (CS) was given to Susan Nakhumicha Wafula, ending the reign of Mutahi Kagwe at the Ministry of Health which was the most popular ministry for two years running for one reason; COVID-19.

When Kagwe was selected for the docket in February 2020, he had no idea what he was going to walk into until the global pandemic struck the country in March 2020, weeks into his new office.

His ministry was closely working with the President to introduce containment measures as the pandemic began sweeping the country and infecting hundreds of thousands of Kenyans. Curfews, inter-county lockdowns, masks, sanitising name it, Kagwe became the face of the nation for the entire year with his daily updates on the pandemic.

Because he was the biggest personality in the country at the time, anything he said that was out of the ordinary went viral; statements like “If you continue to behave nomaree (normally), this disease will treat us abnormaree (abnormally)” and “Anybody can gerrit…you can gerrit, I can gerrit” were picked up by meme makers who shared them on the internet and embedded them into locally produced music tracks.

Kenyans are now asking how Nakhumicha would keep up the spirit of the ‘Kagwe special’ the former CS endeared Kenyans with.

Kindiki Takes Over From Matiang’i As Interior CS

Allow us to simplify it for you; Kithure Kindiki was President Ruto’s ally while Fred Matiang’i was President Ruto’s critic. One took over from the other in the Ministry of Interior.

While President Ruto was constantly berating former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government over the nature of security in the country in the run-up to the polls, Matiang’i was poking several holes in Ruto’s statements and defending his docket from accusations of laxity, especially in preparing for the August 9 polls.

Kindiki meanwhile was defending President Ruto’s victory in the August 9 elections at the Supreme Court after Raila filed a petition contesting the presidential results. It is worth it to note that Matiang’i had endorsed Raila’s presidency before the polls.

Things have changed. Kindiki is the Interior CS, taking over from Matiang’i who has since gone on a low profile.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki and his predecessor Fred Matiang'i at the Ministry headquarters on November 1, 2022. /TWITTER.MINISTRY OF INTERIOR

"We have spoken severally on various matters and my predecessor has certain ideas that he thinks he had initiated and would want to see the light of day. Once or twice he has called me on national issues about what we are doing and he has given me good suggestions.

"We are in communication with Matiang'i and we wish him well in his new chapter," Kindiki disclosed in a Citizen TV interview on Saturday, December 24.

Rishi Sunak Takes Over From Liz Truss As UK Prime Minister

Since the exit of Boris Johnson from 10 Downing Street in the United Kingdom (UK), the Prime Minister position has changed hands twice in less than two months.

Liz Truss had taken over from Johnson on Monday, September 5 and beat two candidates with Kenyan parents; former UK Finance Minister Rishin Sunak and UK Attorney General Suella Braverman, who have a Kenyan father and Kenyan mother respectively. 44 days later, she resigned.

“I cannot deliver the mandate on which I was elected,” she addressed in her speech on Thursday, October 20.

Sunak, who had lost to Truss, would later take her place on Monday, October 24 after Penny Mordaunt withdrew from the race at the last minute. He became the first Hindu, the first person of colour to be Britain's Prime Minister and the youngest person to take the office in more than 200 years.