After The Constitutional referendum Failed: Cabinet appointment

On 7 December 2005, exactly the two weeks he had promised to do so within, President Kibaki announced his new appointments for his Cabinet and empty minister positions. However, almost immediately a large portion of the appointees turned down the job offers, at least 19 MPs are said to have rejected the appointment. Many of those who turned down positions were members of FORD-Kenya and the NPK parties, who constitute the political backbone of Kibaki's regime. Both Ford Kenya and NPK have formally withdrawn their support for the Government, resulting in the rejection of the high-level posts by their MPs.

Many are citing a failure on Kibaki's part to consult with other member parties of the Coalition regarding the make-up of the new cabinet as the principal cause for the divergence within the Coalition. Many feel the President has instead made appointments as he pleases.

Ignoring the deepening crisis, on 9 December 2005, Kibaki carried out the official swearing-in of the new cabinet made up almost exclusively of his closest political friends. With support for Kibaki and his allies crumbling, a vote of no confidence against the Government in the Legislature is not out of the question. Kibaki's government now faces opposition from KANU, the Orange Team, FORD-Kenya, and the NPK. A vote of no confidence would force snap-elections for the entire Kenyan government.

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