In a protest against what has been seen by many as yet another move by the president to stack the cabinet in his favour, three new appointees rejected their posts claiming their parties were not consulted by the president.
“You cannot pick and choose from the team without the knowledge or even the basic courtesy… to the team’s captain,” said Musikari Kombo, the leader of the government coalition partner Ford-Kenya party after turning down his cabinet re-appointment.
Ford-Kenya split with the ruling National Rainbow Coalition over President Kibaki’s push to introduce a new constitution last month arguing that it failed to wind back near absolute presidential powers.
A referendum on the new charter was opposed by 60 percent of Kenya voters on November 21, precipitating the current crisis as cabinet divisions deepened.
President Kibaki sacked the cabinet two days later but resisted demands for parliament to be dissolved and fresh elections called.
However his choice of ministers has angered many.
“There is no coalition. There is no government of national unity. I can say that the cabinet that has been appointed is of recycled individuals from the archives,” Kenya’s former Minister for National Heritage Najib Balala said.
According to a report by the Agence France Presse (AFP) news service, at least 17 assistant ministers have also broken ranks and are refusing to serve.
The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which had backed Mr Kibaki in his successful 2002 presidential campaign, said the appointments had “plunged the nation into a crisis” and showed “the complete isolation of the president from the wishes and desires of our people.”
“We stand at the lowest point in our democratic history,” a statement by the LDP read.
“For the first time… Kenya has a minority government and a minority president.”
The party’s opposition to Mr Kibaki’s constitutional reform was punished in the reshuffle with the departure of seven former LDP ministers from their posts.
LDP lawmaker Orwa Ojodeh who stood to earn the role of environment minister chose to remain outside the cabinet.
One of only two female appointments, Charity Ngilu of the National Party of Kenya, rejected her selection as health minister and said she feared for the nation’s stability.
“I do now know that it will be very difficult to deliver services when there is so much hostility within and outside the government,” Ms Ngilu told a press conference.
President Kibaki came to power three years ago amid promises to eradicate corruption and shake off the autocratic legacy of his predecessor Daniel arap Moi who ruled Kenya with an iron fist for 24 years.