Tough task ahead for Ruto's 20 millionaire CS nominees

President William Ruto during a Press briefing where he nominated the second batch of the new Cabinet Secretaries at State House, Nairobi. He is flagged by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi. [PCS]

As the nation holds its breath ahead of protests planned for tomorrow, some 20 wealthy Kenyans face the daunting task of helping steer the country in the right direction. 

However, the millionaire men and women still have to overcome a hurdle before appointment to President William Ruto's Cabinet, which, if history is to provide lessons, is assured. 

The National Assembly's Committee on Appointments meets today to consider the appointment of the 20 nominees to the Cabinet after they concluded vetting.

Two others, East Africa Community and Regional Development Cabinet Secretary Beatrice Askul Moe and Attorney General nominee Dorcas Oduor will face the vetting panel on Friday.

It is doubtful that the committee will outrightly reject any of the president's picks. Brought to his knees by weeks of youth-led protests, Ruto sought refuge in opposition leading Raila Odinga, nominating his allies to Cabinet, a move observers contend is aimed to ensure political survival more than anything else.

Much like the rest of the country, the Cabinet nominees will closely watch tomorrow's protests dubbed 'nane nane' by the youthful protestors whose pressure led to the sacking of Ruto's first Cabinet. The selection of some Cabinet nominees catalysed the escalation of the demos.

Actions by a section of former Cabinet secretaries, recycled from Ruto's last Cabinet, such as flaunting opulence, drove the masses to the streets in protest.

The selection of Kipchumba Murkomen to lead the Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports docket has been interpreted as a mockery of the demands of Generation Zs and Millennials, who accused the former Roads and Transport CS of bragging about his wealth. 

Ruto's move to reinstate him and others in the former Cabinet, has not sat well with the protesting youth. Seemingly aware of this fact, Murkomen apologised for his perceived conduct as CS when he was nominated to Cabinet.

"The last two weeks have been moments of deep reflection. I would like to unreservedly apologise to every Kenyan who I may have offended through my words, my deeds and my conduct, including my lifestyle, in the last two years of my public service," he posted on X.

Murkomen, if confirmed, will have the restless youth under his umbrella.

Equally angering the Gen Zs and Millennials is Ruto's apparent pact with Raila, which many have read as cementing the fact that Kenya's political class only cares about securing selfish interests.

It does not help that all of Ruto's picks are wealthy, cumulatively owning Sh14.7 billion in cash and property. That is against widespread expectation that the Head of State's promised 'broad-based government' would comprise persons from all societal strata.

Ahead of the 2022 polls, Ruto promised his government would be of the downtrodden - the 'mama mboga' and the 'bodaboda riders'.

If the nominees surmount public dissent, then the task awaiting them when they assume office is equally daunting.

For instance, National Treasury CS nominee John Mbadi faces the challenge of turning around an economy ridden with debt. The president has severally lamented that 70 per cent of the country's total revenue goes towards debt repayment, leaving a meagre 30 per cent to fund the country's recurrent and development needs.

This situation has forced the nation to rely on more debt, with the government often showing a liking for more expensive loans. Kenya's ballooning debt crisis is among the reasons for the youth-led protests, amid demands for a forensic audit of the country's loans. 

During his vetting last Saturday, Mbadi said he would ensure debt accountability, proposing to make the debt register a statutory document published annually.

"If Kenyans owe people money, why can't they know how much it is?" he posed.

Kenya's debt situation has also forced Ruto to seek aggressive tax-raising measures, which the youth resisted in nationwide protests, leading to the president's withdrawal of the unpopular Finance Bill, 2024. Mbadi touted reforming the Kenya Revenue Authority to ensure optimal revenue collection.

Energy and Petroleum CS nominee Opiyo Wandayi also faces a challenging future. The docket has been spotlighted over frequent hikes in fuel and electricity costs, which has also affected business costs. The return of nationwide power outages has also earned the ministry a bad name. Wandayi told the National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula-led Vetting Committee that he would opt for cheap green energy sources instead of the expensive thermal ones.

The road ahead of Roads and Transport CS nominee Davies Chirchir is filled with landmines. The most consequential of them is the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport takeover deal involving Indian firm Adani Holding. News of the arrangement sparked widespread protest under the hashtag Occupy JKIA. How the former Energy CS navigates the delicate subject could determine his tenure at the new ministry.

Chirchir believes the deal could be beneficial to the country, although he argued during vetting that Kenya must seek the best deal.

"This is an off-balance sheet upgrade of the Kenya Airports Authority. If we can't do it as the government, can we allow a private sector player to do it at a reasonable or competitive cost and return on investment?" Chirchir said on Saturday.

Equally in the spotlight are Raila's former deputies at the Orange Democratic Movement, Wycliffe Oparanya and Hassan Joho. Oparanya, tasked with heading the Cooperatives docket, will be in charge of the Hustler Fund project, which Ruto hopes will shape his legacy.

Public Service CS nominee Justin Muturi is also a person of interest, especially given the high unemployment rates among Kenyan youth.