Kenyans looking for people with integrity to sit in the next Cabinet

As President William Ruto works around appointing his new Cabinet, the country wants him to consider integrity as a top qualification for anyone to make it into the Cabinet secretary job.

The Gen Zs, religious leaders, educators, wananchi and other stakeholders want the president to pick accountable, professional, ethical and incorruptible Kenyans into the Cabinet.

On Monday, High Court judge Francis Gikonyo’s annulment of the appointment of Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) board chairman Anthony Mwaura on grounds that it was contrary to the law, leadership and integrity provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution should now guide the president as he reflects.

The judge faulted the Head of State for picking Mwaura who was facing a Sh357 million graft case.

"This court finds that the president failed to take into account at the time of Mwaura's appointment on November 18, 2022, that he was facing corruption and economic crimes charges at Milimani Chief Magistrate Court citing case number 32 of 2019," said Justice Gikonyo.

The judge singled out national values and integrity, noting that they must be adhered to; and that if the court allows such acts to continue they will set a dangerous precedent where the appointing authority commits illegalities and later finds ways of sanitising them.

Nominated MP John Mbadi gave ‘unsolicited advice’ on the floor of the National Assembly last year while dismissing the now dissolved Cabinet, describing the nominees as ‘2027 campaign managers, regional campaign managers.’

“This is a Cabinet that was informed by political expediency. The president is simply telling us that we give him a Cabinet that is not going to function because he is ready to run the entire government system, machinery and structure from State House using advisers,” said Mbadi.

He claimed the Cabinet was deficient in terms of academic, professional competence, experience and integrity. “Look at the case of Davis Chirchir. This is the same gentleman who was removed from office in 2015 on matters of corruption. He left no impact in that ministry. The threshold under Chapter 6 is higher than cases being in court."

The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) General Secretary Chris Kinyanjui said the Cabinet must reflect national values and principles of governance such as patriotism, national unity, democracy and participation of the people, maintaining that the nominees must offer selfless service and sacrifice for the nation.

“The country needs a Cabinet that has a positive attitude and behavior towards the people and leaders with integrity who will aspire for the citizenry and not the political class because issues that caused unrest in the country were never a political question,” said Rev Kinyanjui.

NCCK Central Region Chairperson Timothy Gichere cautioned the President not to pick his nominees from the political class "as that would lead to a Tower of Babel".

“The president’s sentiments that he would engage the political formations with a view to forming a broad-based government will only worsen the situation as the politicians will stick their allegiance to their political masters and this may break his legacy projects. It is only the professional who has a moral ground to advise the president as opposed to politicians,” said Gichere.

Political analyst Charles Njoroge said arrogance, corruption, display of flamboyance and opulence, failure by the CSs and other government officers to communicate government programmes was the main reason for the Cabinet dissolution.

“At a time that Ruto is scrambling to put the lid on the worst crisis of his near two-year presidency, he must appoint a Cabinet that will start on a clean slate. It would be advisable that he picks them from the youth, men and women and also reflect the face of Kenya.

“The CSes should concentrate on their work on delivering the Kenya Kwanza agenda while the political class should have left to explain their successes,” said Njoroge.

Jayden Kamotho, a Gen Z, said his generation was fed up with the 'recycling habit' of the political class and wanted the president to give the youth the CSes portfolios as he was voted into the presidency by a majority of them.

“It can’t be that our work is to be casual laborers in the controversial housing projects that Kenya Kwanza is establishing while the political rejects or the retirees are occupying plum positions in the name of Cabinet secretaries. These are our grandparents who should be advising us or the Executive on how to run a government or ministries,” said Kamotho.

Steve Mugo, a USIU-A student, called for competence and merit to guide the selection process of the next Cabinet secretaries. Mugo emphasized the importance of checking candidates' track records and their capability to fulfill their roles.

“It should not be business as usual. We need capable leaders who will guide and lead our nation to prosperity,” said Mugo. “We have learned tough lessons from the previous Cabinet and we shouldn’t allow mistakes in the next one.”

Ammy Anne, also a university student, agreed with the dissolution of the Cabinet to pave the way for a new path to prosperity. Anne noted the previous leaders' abuse of office and extravagant spending.