First half of Ruto's cabinet nominees have combined net worth of Sh4.3billion

The National Assembly on Friday concluded day two of the vetting process for President William Ruto's Cabinet nominees for the "broad bases government".

Only ten nominees as per the schedule appeared before the Appointments Committee for vetting which is chaired by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.

Despite stating their work experience and educational background, the nominees were also tasked to publicly declare their net worth.

So far those vetted on Friday include Aden Duale (Environment), Eric Muuga (Water), Davis Chirchir (Transport), Margret Nyambura Ndung'u ( ICT) and Andrew Karanja (Agriculture).

Those who were vetted on Thursday were Kithure Kindiki, nominee for the Interior Ministry, Dr Debra Barasa (Health), Soipan Tuya (Defence), Alice Wahome (Lands) and Julius Ogamba (Education).

The 10 nominees have a net worth accumulatively amounting to Sh4.3 billion.

Cabinet secretaries who were re-appointed after serving for only 21 months registered a tremendous increase in their net worth, recording an addition of over Sh250 million in less than two years in office.

Duale disclosed that his net worth is currently Sh980 million an increase from Sh851 million which he revealed in 2022.

The Environment CS nominee said the wealth is in the form of assets and other investments which included pieces of land both in Garissa and Nairobi, his house in Nairobi, Garissa, Cattle ranch in Garissa, rental property in Nairobi and Garissa, shares in family-owned businesses, camels and cattle, and motor vehicles.

Karanja on the other hand has said that he is worth Sh214 million made up of his family residences, vehicles, plots, lands, and deposits in bank accounts.

ICT CS nominee Ndung'u said he has a net worth of Sh95.3 million in the form of moveable assets which include Sh5.5 million (one car), immovable assets Sh54 million (house and land), Treasury Bills and bonds Sh25.6 million, Sacco shares Sh1 million and cash Sh11.5 million.

Chirchir put his net worth at Sh509.8 million an increase of Sh27.6 million from October when he said he was worth Sh482.2 million.

Muuga, Water CS nominee, stated his net worth stands at Sh31 million and is in the form of land.

Kindiki, who was the first to face the panel on Thursday, told the Speaker Wetang'ula-led committee that he is worth Sh694 million up from Sh544 million. This includes two homes —a rural home as well as a Nairobi residence— SACCO savings as well as a fleet of vehicles worth Sh17 million.

Lands CS nominee Wahome disclosed her net worth was Sh337.65 million denoting an increase of about Sh119 million over the two years she was in office.

Defence CS nominee Tuya said she was worth Sh243 million an increase from the Sh156 million she declared when she assumed office as Environment CS in 2022. She noted that her wealth had been amassed through the appreciation of assets.

Dr Barasa who has vast global and local experience in the health sector, told the vetting panel that she is worth Sh455 million..

Lawyer Ogamba who has his eyes on the Education Ministry, declared his net worth to be Sh790 million.

In an unprecedented first, a record 1,300 submissions were filed with National Assembly's Clerk Samuel Njoroge either challenging or supporting the nomination.

"As of today ( Thursday) morning, the committee has received over 1,300 submissions... One hundred and eighty-seven of these submissions are in the form of affidavits contemplated under section 6(9) of the Act," Wetang'ula said.

"The rest of the submissions either generally opposing the appointment of one or more nominees are repetitions, are filed in support of the nominees or are unrelated to the exercise."

Eleven submissions were filed against Kindiki while Barasa had seven memorandums against her nominations.

For Wahome, nine memorandums were contesting her nomination to Lands ministry.

Speaker Wetang'ula said the nominees were served with the memos and had responded to each of them.

He, however, did not disclose the nature of the concerns raised about the nominees.

As the vetting process enters day three on Saturday, it is expected that the net worth of the nominees will go higher.

In April this year, the Wealth Report revealed that Africa's 'Big 5' wealth markets — South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, and Morocco — together account for 56 per cent of the continent's millionaires and over 90 per cent of its billionaires.