Town hall meetings good, but does Ruto trust his ministers?

Now, this is how it is done. When you are a leader, you choose men and women of goodwill to help you with some of the chores. Capable persons, who fear God, who hate dishonest gain, that is to say they hate theft – or what Kenyans deodorize as “corruption.” You give them assignments and let them work for you. You do not grab back the assignments. You don’t even buy them back. For, you trust your own sense of judgement that, in the first place, made you settle for these men and women. If you grab back this delegated authority, something is awfully wrong, not with the persons you selected, but with your own sense of judgement. For, why did you select people in whom you have no confidence? 

Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible is emphatic on the kind of person who exercises delegated authority, as captured in the story of Moses and Jethro. “Great care should be taken in the choice of the kind of persons who should be admitted into this trust. They must be able men – men of the very best character … of good sense, that understood business, and bold men that would not be daunted by frowns and clamours. Men with clear heads and stout hearts . . .”

Ahead of his next town hall meeting, President William Ruto may want to ask himself whether he has selected men and women with such attributes to work for him. Without a doubt, it is his watch. If the current Executive succeeds, he will take the credit, regardless of who worked for him. If it flounders, he will take the flak. Is it, perhaps, because of this that, every so often, the Kenyan president has clawed back on his delegation, to play the solitary man in the arena? Meanwhile, his appointees and assignees sit in the circles, to just watch and listen, like filmgoers. 

In a sense, it is good that Kenyans have a hands-on president, who seems to understand every sector thoroughly. He has the courage to field questions in town hall meetings. Yet, something is amiss when the head of State becomes the President, the Cabinet Secretary, the Principal Secretary, the Administrative Secretary, the Director of Education, the Chief Inspector of Schools, and the master-of-ceremonies; all rolled into one. From astute leadership perspectives, the manager of last resort needs to be very calibrated and circumspect in whatever communications. If they goof, as sometimes we all will do, it is very difficult to regain credibility. 

President Ruto’s town hall meetings tend to come through as knee jerk reactions to public outrage, in contexts that suggest the boss does not trust the people he has appointed. He thinks that they can’t say it as it should be said. Yet, he comes through as histrionic, and trying too hard. If his people tell him, “Boss that was excellent,” they lie to him. But, why doesn’t he just let his people work? Why?

Dr Barrack Muluka is a strategic communications advisor