Disquiet in Ukambani as Ruto accused of sidelining region

Deputy President William Ruto in Machakos town.

Ukambani region stands out as one of the political regions that are highly disgruntled with President William Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza administration.

The president appears to be losing his grip on the lower Eastern region, at least going by the recent political developments where his key allies have openly come out to protest what they call the sidelining of the Kamba community from the mainstream Government.

And going by the recent happenings and political sentiments even from his once close associates such as former Machakos senator Johnstone Muthama, the president might be forced to go back to the drawing table to find ways of assuaging the disgruntled community ahead of the 2027 general election.

One of the key sticking points is the lack of appointment of community members to Ruto’s government, despite the Kamba community giving him about 250, 000 votes during the presidential election, a generous vote basket according to political observers given the fact that Ukambani is largely an opposition zone.

In the latest development, former Machakos Town legislator, Victor Munyaka who was Ruto’s right-hand man for Machakos County in the run-up to the last general elections has castigated the head of State for allegedly ‘forgetting the Akamba community.’

“For the sake of those who stood with the president, he should rethink his relationship with Ukambani. Although my remarks may be interpreted as rebellion, I must tell the president the facts as they are. We need services and employment of our people,” Dr Munyaka said while addressing mourners in Mavoko constituency.

Munyaka has been proposed as Lands Chief Administrative Secretary before the court stopped the appointments. He lamented that being a loyalist and a Ruto footsoldier in the region made him lose his parliamentary seat to the Wiper party.

Through the support of the UDA brigade, Munyaka says that the president managed to garner about 250,000 votes in Ukambani, which was the equivalent of his victory margin against Azimio’s Raila Odinga in the presidential election.

“I am asking my friend President Ruto not to forget the Kamba community because we have seen a number of them lose key State jobs and their positions taken up by other communities,” he went on.

Notable key figures who have lost their jobs in Ruto’s government include the former East Africa Community and Arid lands cabinet secretary Penina Malonza who fell under the heat of GenZ protests against Ruto’s administration.

While Ruto reappointed a number of the cabinet secretaries he had earlier sacked, Malonza's fate seems to have been sealed.

Although she has not complained publicly over her sacking, Malonza’s close associates have held rallies in Kitui County and prevailed on the president to re-appoint her.

“We are calling on the president to give Kitui a CS slot through madam Malonza. We also expect our two UDA MPs from the county to support that initiative,” said former Yatta/Kwa–Vonza ward MCA John Kisangau during a thanksgiving event called by the former CS at his Kitui South stronghold. The two UDA MPs expected to root for a CS slot for Kitui are Rachael Nyamai (Kitui South) and Nimrod Mbai (Kitui East).

The UDA supporters in Kitui County, some allied to the former CS and others to Livestock Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke continue trading blames against each other for the loss of a ministerial slot in the county.

Former UDA chairman Johnstone Muthama, a one-time staunch Ruto cheerleader has also come out guns blazing, blaming the Kenya Kwanza administration of serving the Kamba community a raw deal.

In one of his tirades, Muthama who is a commissioner to the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), claimed Ruto shortchanged the Kamba community by giving them ‘insignificant jobs’, saying it was time for the region to fully rally behind Kalonzo. 

“I was part of those who formed the UDA party and formed  the current government but today we have no Kamba people at the table where national resources are getting shared. We are only errand boys,” Muthama said at a burial attended by the Wiper leader in Mbooni.

Similar sentiments are being expressed in the neighbouring Makueni County where the disgruntled supporters of Ruto’s administration accuse the president of overseeing the sacking of their sons and daughters.

Those recently edged out of the government include Dr. Andrew Mulwa who acted as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kenya Medical and Supplies Authority (KEMSA) before he was shown the door and former Makueni Deputy Governor and chairperson of the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) Adelina Mwau whose appointment to the position was revoked in less than a year.

Pamela Mutua, former MD at Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) resigned after she was face with edible oils scandle worth Sh16 billion.

Ruto’s backers among them Kibwezi West MP, Mwengi Mutuse however said it was too early to castigate the president, insisting that Dr Ruto was still keen on transforming Ukambani region through implementing impactful development programs.

“I request those who supported the president to appreciate that it is just two years since Ruto took over and he has not forgotten the region,” Mutuse told The Sunday Standard in a phone interview.

Reporting by Erastus Mulwa, Philip Muasya, Stephen Nzioka and Victor Nzuma