CSs Mbadi, Joho and Wandayi eat, sleep and breathe partisan politics

Anyone who saw Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho and his Energy counterpart Opiyo Wandayi in their orange shirts at the weekend could easily have mistaken them for ODM youth wingers. Treasury’s John Mbadi donned an orange hat, perhaps too shy to go fully orange like his two colleagues.

The CSs were attending a rally of the Oburu Oginga faction of ODM in Siaya. At the meeting, the ministers drummed up support for the party and President William Ruto’s government.

This comes as the old question of whether Cabinet Secretaries are constitutionally permitted to participate actively in politics resurfaces.

For weeks, CSs have been explicitly engaging in political activities, even as some politicians insist there is no law barring them from participating in partisan affairs.

As political activity intensifies and the debate rages, Cabinet Secretaries have been traversing the country, not only drumming up support for the government but also openly expressing their views on political alignments ahead of next year’s General Election.

During the Siaya rally, Joho said the party would remain strong despite attempts by some to undermine it, declaring that ODM would field candidates for all elective positions in next year’s election.

He reminded the rally that he had served as ODM deputy party leader for 10 years and would naturally have wished to lead it, but respected the party’s decision to pick Oburu Oginga.

“The party was built with a lot of effort … who would want it to fall? The party will stand whether they like it or not. ODM will field candidates for elective positions next year.

“The party has decided on Oburu. Who am I to oppose? People should know that one day the party will produce a presidential candidate and one day people will call me President, and that will be through ODM,” Joho said.

Wandayi has also been pushing for ODM unity while insisting on the need to work with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) in the next General Election, even as he criticised Siaya Governor James Orengo for what he termed a failure to serve the county’s residents.

“I fully support Oburu Oginga’s efforts to officially commence dialogue with UDA so that we can come up with a pre-election coalition agreement with the President,” said Wandayi.

“In Siaya, we have had many issues. We elected a governor, but he is now missing in action. Our governor has left Siaya and is moving around outside the county, so as the people of Siaya we now have to decide on the way forward.”

Mbadi said the Luo community was politically indivisible.

Even as he drummed up support for President William Ruto’s administration, Mbadi criticised previous governments, saying they had not given members of his community substantial positions.

He referred to the 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, saying the community did not benefit from that pact as it has under the current broad-based arrangement.

“Under the broad-based government, we have positions and I am now the first Finance minister from the community. I stand for the unity of the Luo, and if someone wants its downfall they are in for a rude shock,” Mbadi said.

The weekend rally was part of a series of meetings that the three Cabinet Secretaries have attended in recent days.

Joho recently held a meeting with ODM legislators from the Coast region, during which he said they deliberated on the region’s development and political agenda.

Similarly, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has previously had to defend himself against accusations of engaging in politics, particularly during the campaigns to replace him as MP for Mbeere North. The seat fell vacant after he was appointed to the Public Service docket.

He defended his involvement in the campaigns, saying CSs are permitted to champion the interests of a political party.

Ruku, an ardent supporter of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, has also been advocating for the latter’s future in President Ruto’s administration.

Amid debate that ODM will seek the Deputy President’s position in a pre-election deal with UDA, Ruku has been among the politicians who have come to Kindiki’s defence.

“The position held by Kindiki is not negotiable. Those looking for seats should not concern themselves with the presidency or the deputy presidency. There is no vacancy now and there will be no vacancy in 2027,” Ruku said.