NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Former Public Service, Performance, and Delivery Management Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has claimed that the concept of a broad-based government implemented by President William Ruto’s administration was originally his idea.
During an interview on Citizen TV on Monday night, Kuria asserted that he had proposed the idea of incorporating the opposition into the government well before the recent Gen-Z demonstrations.
“I can largely say that the notion of inviting the opposition to join the government was my idea. I foresaw potential issues and advised the president that there was a need to reform our politics,” he stated.
Kuria, a former Public Service Cabinet Secretary, is among those who were not re-appointed when President Ruto dismissed his entire Cabinet following street protests by GenZ youths.
Kuria revealed that he had reached out to various opposition leaders in an effort to persuade them to join the government. He also emphasized the need to revisit the 2010 constitution to create a more effective government structure, arguing that the current system risks excluding certain groups from government after elections, which he believes should not happen.
On July 19, President Ruto announced a new list of cabinet nominees, sworn in on August 8, which included four senior members of the ODM party: John Mbadi (National Treasury), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum), Hassan Joho (Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs), and Wycliffe Oparanya (Co-operatives and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development). These appointments have sparked discontent within the opposition.
President Ruto has defended the formation of this broad-based government, termed the ‘Alliance of Rivals,’ as a necessary step for achieving national cohesion and shared development. Despite facing backlash, including some Azimio affiliate parties withdrawing support, Ruto maintains that this approach will “turbocharge” Kenya’s development.
