NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 25 — President William Ruto has praised his Cabinet nominee for Interior and National Administration for his role in restoring peace in restive parts of the country.
Ruto hailed Kithure Kindiki’s achievements a day after he announced his return as Cabinet Secretary, joining another nine former collegues in a Cabinet disbanded on July 11.
Speaking while inspecting projects in Tharaka Nithi, Kindiki’s home county, Ruto said the Interior CS nominee had played a huge role in tackling banditry in the North Rift Region and leading the fight against terrorism.
Ruto said that Kindiki had done a “good job” during his time as the country’s security boss even as he appeared to defend his decision to retain him in the security docket.
“This guy [Kindiki] has done an exceptionally great job in the country, particularly in Lamu and North Rift, where the bandits have fled,” Ruto said.
Kindiki assumed leadership of the Interior docket in October 2022 during a peak in banditry and cattle rustling in the North Rift.
President Ruto tasked him with leading Operation Maliza Uhalifu, which involved the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and the police.
The operation resulted in a significant decrease in attacks.
The country has also experienced relative calm in the North Eastern and Coastal regions, areas previously impacted by terrorism.
Polls on the performance of Cabinet Secretaries have consistently ranked Kindiki as the top performer.
Police brutality
He was among those affected by President Ruto’s decision to dissolve the Cabinet in response to anti-government protests and demands for accountability and improved governance from Gen Z.
Despite calls from some Kenyans to dismiss all Cabinet Secretaries from President Ruto’s first Cabinet due to allegations of excessive force against protestors, the President chose to retain him.
Kindiki acknowledged instances of police excesses but maintained that security agents “did their best in the circumstances”.
President Ruto announced Kindiki as the Interior nominee on July 19 when he announced his first batch of Cabinet nominees.
On Wednesday, the President forwarded the names of the second batch of Cabinet Secretaries nominees to the National Assembly to pave way for their vetting.
The nominees include Opposition Leader Raila Odinga’s key allies in what President Ruto has termed as a broad-based government.
President Ruto nominated ODM Chairman John Mbadi as Treasury Cabinet Secretary and Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi as the Energy Cabinet Secretary.
He also named former Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakamega) as Mining and Cooperatives nominees.
The National Assembly Committee on Appoitments has twenty-eight days to consider the nominees.
