NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 17 — A section of leaders in the opposition Azimio Coalition have faulted a move by President Willian Ruto to nominate 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries to deputize Cabinet Secretaries in state departments.
Led by Azimio Spokesperson Makau Mutua, the opposition leaders reacted rebuked Ruto who they said was unconcerned with the country’s state of economy.
Mutua said the move will saddle Kenyans with a strenuous public wage.
“Mr Ruto saddles Kenya’s broke state with 50 CAS Rejects, Incompetents, and Fools!” he exclaimed, reacting to Thursday’s announcement on CAS nominees.
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina asserted Mtua’s stance terming the 50 nominees as political rejects. He termed a projected cumulative monthly wage of Sh1.2 billion (unverified) as untenable.
He added that being the “chief hustler”, the Head of State who campaigned on the platform of upward social mobility should have appointed the youth.
“We are ready for Monday because the ‘chief hustler’ does not give a hoot in hell about hustlers!” Ole Kina charged.
“He has rewarded 50 political rejects with salaries amounting to Sh1.2Billion every year for doing nothing! If he really cared about hustlers why didn’t he appoint the youth as CAS?,” he asked.
Awarding cronies
Mumias East Member of Parliament Peter Salasya said the ruling party is awarding cronies despite a struggling economy.
“When it comes to jobs it’s them and their cronies,” he said.
Former Mukurweini MP Kabando Wa Kabando also termed President Ruto’s move as deceptive and insensitive towards the “hustlers”.
“We recognize Ruto constitutionally validated President, but we admit is insensitive to mass sufferings, is deceptive, is clueless,” he said.
Uhuru-era controversy
The CAS portfolios were first created in 2018 through an executive order as then President Uhuru Kenyatta sought to reintroduce deputy ministers, slots abolished with the coming into force of a new constitutional order in 2010.
Kenyatta had twenty-nine CAS slots.
Kenyatta’s move at the time was criticized for lack of judicial validation.
Leaders loyal to Ruto have praised the President terming the nominations as necessary to promote inclusion and national unity.
The Principal Secretary for Ministry of Interior and National Administration, Raymond Omollo, stated that the appointment signify a collective desire by the President to unify and drive the country forward.
“Going through the list of nominees for the Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS), once again, President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi have expressed their collective desire to unify and drive country forward,” he said.
“The nominees are illustrious Kenyans and dedicated public servants who have expressed unwavering support to the Government’s Transformative Agenda.”
Cabinet Secretary for Defense Aden Duale has praised the president for the appointments stating that CASs are important in driving the Ministries’ goals and the Government’s Development Agenda.
“I thank President William Ruto and Deputy President for equipping our ministries with able and visionary Kenyans in the CAS appointees,” he said.
“The auxiliary roles of the CAS sare important in driving the Ministries’ goals and the Government’s Development Agenda.”
President William Ruto allocated his UDA party the lion’s share of the 50 Chief Administrative Secretary positions.
Ruto also allocated CAS slots to the Office of the Deputy President and that of the Prime Cabinet Secretary.
In the list of 50 nominees, three CAS will work under DP Rigathi Gachagua while three others will be under Musalia Mudavadi, the Prime Cabinet Secretary.
The nominees await parliamentary approval before the swearing in.
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