NAIROBI
In a surprise move on Wednesday, President Daniel arap Moi reshuffled his cabinet, demoting the finance minister to serve as energy minister in tandem with Raila Odinga, leader of the National Development Party, which has aligned itself in an effective coalition with the ruling Kenya African National Union (KANU).
This has been seen by political observers here as a dilution of the powers of both - a demotion for former Finance Minister Chris Okemo and a diminution of the stature of Odinga as the president s ally.
The new finance minister is former Foreign Minister Chris Obure, whose transfer was described by the BBC on Wednesday as an attempt by President Moi to get a more diplomatic minister to front negotiations with the World Bank and IMF in a bid to convince them to release funds that they have been withholding .