They gave up elective seats for CS jobs, but now fired

Former Senators Mithika Linturi, Kipchumab Murkomen and Kithure Kindiki are among the greatest losers in the latest Cabinet purge. [File, Standard]

Politicians who quit their elective seats to take up government appointments are the biggest losers in President William Ruto's Cabinet purge.

While some resigned after they were elected in the 2022 General Election, others gave up their political ambitions to steer Ruto's campaign. They were rewarded with Cabinet slots when Kenya Kwanza took over power.

Lands Cabinet Secretary Alice Wahome resigned as Kandara MP to take up Cabinet appointment.

In the 2022 General Election, Wahome defied all odds to beat male opponents in the hotly contested Kandara parliamentary race.

UDA fronted Chege Njuguna to replace the former MP in a by-election.

Yesterday, Kandara residents were struggling to come to terms with the President's decision to sack her from Cabinet. 

Njuri Ncheke Supreme Council of Ameru elders through its Secretary General (Operations) Josphat Murangiri who had led elders in pleading with Ruto not to sack Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi and Interior CS Kithure Kindiki when it became evident that changes were imminent, yesterday termed the development historic.

While the council congratulated the President for taking action to put the country on the right track, Murangiri said that Ruto was not discriminative in his decision.

"If he had sacked some and left some it might have seemed discriminative but he has sacked all. He has done well. It is a historic move to reconstitute his government," he said.

Politicians and residents of Meru and Tharaka Nithi, home counties of Linturi and Prof Kindiki were stunned by their dismissal.

The MPs from the two counties that are collectively referred to as 'larger Meru' were hesitant to comment about the President's action. "No, please. That is preemptive. Let me spare my thoughts for now," said an MP who sought anonymity.

But James Kithinji, a resident of Maara said that the the President had done the unthinkable. "But come to think of it, the president's move wasn't entirely unexpected because many people didn't know he was going to fire them all," he said.

In Meru, residents were surprised that Ruto fired Linturi, a former Meru Senator and Igembe South MP.

Similar sentiments came from Tharaka Nithi where Prof Kindiki served as senator.

The former Interior CS was expected to run for Tharaka Nithi Governor seat in the 2022 General Election but President Ruto told residents he wanted Kindiki to work with him at the national level, and urged voters to re-elect the incumbent, Muthomi Njuki.

Kindiki was considered a favorite for the governor's seat but he stepped down in favor of Njuki.

The former CS, a law professor, was also widely expected to become Ruto's running mate before a surprise turn of events culminated in Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua bagging the position.

"I feel it is a great injustice to Kindiki. He could easily be our governor today but he sacrificed his ambition. He did it twice because he would be the Deputy President today, even though it was the prerogative of the president to pick his running mate," said Dennis Kinyua, a trader at Chuka.

Sacked Roads Minister Kipchumba Murkomen also won a third term as the Elgeyo Marakwet senator in 2022 but gave up the post to join Ruto's Cabinet.