From grief to government: Scrutiny over politicians' widows landing state jobs

The recent appointment of Naiyanoi Ntutu, widow of the late Emurua Dikirr MP Johanna Ng'eno, to the Board of the Information and Communication Technology Authority has re-ignited debate on whether the State is quietly institutionalizing a compensation system for political widows and widowers.

Naiyanoi’s appointment adds to a growing list of widows who have landed State appointments following the demise of their spouses, even as pundits argue that the move is a wider scheme by the Kenya Kwanza administration to appease its political constituency.

Her name now sits alongside that of Ida Odinga, widow to the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Ida has long held influential public roles but it was her appointment to the envoy position in February that turned heads. Coming just months after the demise of her spouse, the former ODM party leader Raila, pundits argued that her appointment was part of President William Ruto’s snatch-and-grab strategy as he sought to secure a firm grip on Raila’s political constituency.

More recently, the late William Cheptumo’s family saw elevation to the Cabinet in March after President Ruto nominated Hanna Wendot, wife to the late Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, as the Cabinet Secretary for Gender. The docket had remained vacant since September 2024 after the National Assembly rejected the last CS nominee to the ministry.

Similarly, Mary Chebukati, widow of former IEBC chair Wafula Chebukati, was appointed Chairperson of the Commission on Revenue Allocation in May 2023. Granted, her appointment came a year before the death of her husband, but given that it came at a time Chebukati was battling ill health, many interpreted it as patronage from a Head of State whose ascension to power was largely attributed to the former IEBC chairperson.

The trend, however, is neither new nor isolated. Dorothy Otieno, the third wife of the late Dalmas Otieno, secured a state appointment in 2025,  even announcing it during the burial proceedings.

"I want this message to reach His Excellency the President, my party leader, and thank him for appointing me as Director for Social Programmes at State House. What many may not know is that the appointment came earlier, but speaking about it—especially alongside my husband’s passing—was difficult. I chose to wait until we concluded his funeral before celebrating, just as Job did: he mourned first, then celebrated. Your Excellency, thank you sincerely for this honour,” she said during the burial.

She, however, did not disclose the exact date of her appointment but emphasized that it was significant to the family.

Prior to his demise, Otieno was a battle-hardened politician having served as a former Cabinet minister, Rongo MP for several terms and held ministerial positions, including Minister for Public Service and Minister for Planning and National Development.

Decades earlier, following the assassination of Tom Mboya, Pamela Mboya was appointed Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations—setting a precedent that appears to have matured into a political culture.

It is, however, Naiyanoi’s appointment to the ICT Authority’s board for a period of three years that has elicited disquiet.

With the news coming on a Good Friday and barely a month since she lost her husband, a section of Kenyans aired varying reactions, some congratulating her and others inquiring how the role was waiting to be taken.

Experts now opine that while the Head of State has an upper hand in key appointments, some Ministries and State Departments are struggling owing to average individuals who land plum jobs.

Political analyst Mark Bichachi argues that the appointments are laced with political patronage that started in the past regimes as part of preparing campaign machinery.

He says the appointments are also engineered to appease his support base making such appointments political.

“Such appointments exist so that the President has the discretion of putting the people who understand his principles, his ideas, his philosophy into institutions that can then implement his agenda,” he explained

For those who land plum jobs and fail to deliver, Bichachi blames those tasked with vetting, who are the members of parliament.

“The competence of someone in office is determined by the parliament. Kenyans need to understand that we selected representatives, so as long as parliament approves them, rest of us have approved them,” said Bichachi.

Adding, “Kenyans give to themselves their own problems, and that is the biggest issue; their decision is final.”

Earlier this month, Senior counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi claimed that about seven Cabinet Secretaries in Ruto's Cabinet are low-key and “probably incompetent that you don't hear of them at all.”

“Many Kenyans genuinely feel these Cabinet offices have been vacant for the past three years. These low-key or absentee CSs come to the office in the morning, read newspapers, have tea and mandazi, make telephone calls to friends and relatives, eat lunch and then go back home,” Ahmednasir posted on X.