Mutahi Kahiga draws more criticism over '8 CS positions' ultimatum

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga has earned himself mounting criticism following his recent demand that President William Ruto reserves at least eight slots to the Mount Kenya region in his new cabinet.

While speaking to a local radio station that broadcasts in the Kikuyu dialect, Kahiga sought to remind President Ruto of the massive support accorded to him by voters from the region insisting that it should count while forming the next cabinet.

The seats, Kahiga said, were fought for and agreed upon between the president and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua.

However, his comment has been criticised for advancing negative ethnicity which is one of the endemic challenges the 'tribeless' Gen Z Kenyans demand to be corrected in the reforms on the country's governance structure.

"There are a lot of tribal connotations, undertones and undercurrents right now. I am embarrassed that we are still looking at our dialects in the twenty-first century. Does dialect and origin add to one's merit?" remarked Noni Belle, a communications consultant, on Spice FM on Thursday, July 18.

According to her, tribalism has been ingrained in the Kenyan psyche and is usually passed down generations from parents to children akin to indoctrination leading to discord among the many ethnic groups living within the country's borders.

On the other hand, Former Bahati MP Kimani Ngunjiri, argues that identifying with a tribe must not be demonized, adding that Kenya faces a challenge of politics run along regional lines.

"It is not bad to be born within a certain tribe, the problem lies in the leadership. There is favouritism in sharing of opportunities and resources," said Kimani.

"A cabinet secretary, for instance, offers most opportunities to one region which in turn uses it against the others and that's when the debate about tribalism kicks in," he added.

President Ruto's defunct Cabinet had 22 cabinet secretaries.

Eight positions went to the populous Mt Kenya region including appointments of Kithure Kindiki, Njuguna Ndung'u, Alice Wahome, Moses Kuria, Rebecca Miano, Zachariah Njeru, Mithika Linturi and Florence Bore.

Further, the region bagged the Attorney General (Justin Muturi) and secretary to the cabinet (Mercy Wanjau) posts.

The young Kenyans who led the recent anti-government want Ruto to form a lean and competent cabinet based on merit as opposed to tribal calculations aimed at tilting the scale in favour of the president and his political party in the next elections.