The Big Noise In William Ruto’s Cabinet As CSs Pull In Different Directions

Last week, a peculiar event unfolded at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where two Cabinet Secretaries; Kipchumba Murkomen and his Tourism counterpart Alfred Mutua, separately addressed the public at the press regarding Kenya Revenue Authority’s controversial taxation policies.

Murkomen proposed an airport charter for efficient coordination among government agencies, while Mutua reassured tourists about a hassle-free experience.

Notably, neither Cabinet Secretary presented a solution to the contentious issue of taxing personal and household items above $500, which was the epicenter of the whole.

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The JKIA shambles occurred a day before the Senate discussed the conduct of Moses Kuria, whose controversial social media posts continue to stir trouble within the government.

Enraged Senators called for the impeachment of the Public Service, Performance, and Delivery CS following his claims that some of them were colluding to send Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza home. The Senate later trashed the impeachment motion against the embattled Governor. It is hard to tell whether Moses Kuria’s post on X, (formerly Twitter) had something to do with the outcome

Kuria, like Murkomen and Alfred Mutua, was a politician before joining William Ruto’s Cabinet.

Unlike his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta, President Ruto appointed several politicians to his Cabinet, believing that a lack of political background hindered the previous administration’s performance.

However, a year into office, it’s challenging to identify a cohesive leadership in Ruto’s Cabinet. If anything, this looks like a downgrade from the Uhuru Cabinet.

Uhuru had a tight cycle of CSs led by Fred Matiangi who believed in his vision, or lack of it, and worked towards the direction that their boss wanted to go.

Even in his last term, Uhuru managed to convince some of his Cabinet members against resigning to seek political seats, despite knowing clearly that they would soon be out of work.

It is hard to pick just one CS, who believes in Ruto’s PLAN. None of them has come out to explain this to Wananchi.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is yet to recover from his ‘Shareholder’ blunder, a remark that reduced him to a Mt. Kenya politician, rather than the nation’s second in command.

To compound his woes, Gachagua has also learned, rather late, that he doesn’t have the sole claim to the Mt. Kenya throne. He faces competition from his own UDA party.

Felix Koskei became one of the most powerful people in this administration after he was named Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, positions that were held by two different people in the Uhuru administration.

The only time the public has felt Koskei’s powers is when an alleged fallout with CS Alice Wahome, and Kibisu Kabatesi, a long-term aide to PCS Musalia Mudavadi, led to the former being reshuffled and the latter tendering a controversial resignation.

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As a Kenyan, I would like to see Mr. Koskei demonstrate his influence on broader matters of national importance, not subjective boardroom wars.

And then there is Eliud Owalo, whose job title reads ‘CS for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy,’ but whose actions point at someone who is in charge of Luo affairs in this administration.

The last time we heard of Owalo, he was donating a bus to Gor Mahia FC. Ordinarily, this is something you would associate with Sports CS Ababu Namwamba, by his role.

When he was appointed Sports CS, Kenyans hoped that Namwamba would continue with the good work he had started during his first stint in the Ministry in the Mwai Kibaki Cabinet.

In December last year, Namwamba announced the return of giant sports broadcaster Supersport to the Kenyan Premier League. The former Budalangi MP claimed at the time that, the the MultiChoice owned station, would return before the beginning of the current premier league season. That has not materialized.

The Cabinet’s inability to effectively communicate and implement Ruto’s agenda is apparent, with some members resorting to populist rhetoric and social media strategies to appear active. Notably, Ruto himself has taken a central role in various government departments, overshadowing his Cabinet.

Ruto’s affordable housing agenda is crucial for his legacy, yet he seems to be the only person in his Cabinet with the ability to explain to the public what the project is all about.

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Most of the Cabinet members avoid this controversial topic, perhaps from fear of making the same mistakes as Housing PS Charles Hinga. Or, maybe, like the public, this Cabinet is not convinced with the Housing project.

With his Cabinet full of competing voices, Ruto has moved to create several offices within the State House, to advise him on matters that should primarily be handled by line Ministries.

Some of these offices include; The Council of Economic Advisers chaired by David Ndii. Tasked with rectifying mistakes of the previous regime, which David Ndii has never shied away from mentioning, his team has yet to show tangible results.

Recently, Ruto appointed former Industrialization CS Adan Mohammed, as Chair of the President’s Strategy Execution. Monica Juma was also elevated to Secretary of the National Security Council.

Apart from being very powerful and expensive offices, their creation also raises questions about the centralization of power.

Ultimately, the success of any team lies in its leadership. William Ruto’s failure to build a cohesive and effective Cabinet jeopardizes the realization of “The Plan.” Without a course correction, the Kenya Kwanza team risks relegation in 2027.

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This story has been written by Kipsang, a journalist and upcoming political analyst who believes that it is time for Africa to take charge of its own storyline. Reach him on charleskipsang10@gmail.com