Revealed: President Ruto consulted Kenya Kwanza MPs on Cabinet choices

Nyeri Member of Parliament Duncan Mathenge has revealed that Kenya Kwanza legislators held a consultation meeting with President William Ruto regarding the nomination of new Cabinet Secretaries.

In an interview on Citizen TV’s Daybreak on Tuesday, Mathenge revealed that during the meeting, President Ruto requested prayers from the legislators to help him select individuals who would meet the expectations of the Kenyan citizens, especially the younger generation who have been holding protests against the government’s inaction.

“We met the President and it is not a secret,” Mathenge said. “He told us, ‘Pray for me that this time round I get Kenyans who can be able to perform the job as per the wishes of the Kenyans who have spoken through their young people,’” Mathenge recounted.

When asked about the timing of the meeting, Mathenge said, “We are in the Kenya Kwanza government. We are elected as Kenya Kwanza parties. We have had consultations time and again with the President.”

He further noted that the meeting included Kenya Kwanza MPs from various regions across the country.

When asked whether the Members assisted the president in selecting the nominees, Mathenge mentioned that the President independently selected the names for the Cabinet positions from the Mt. Kenya region, with no input from them.

“The President picked the names from Mt. Kenya region. The team from Mt. Kenya did not suggest names. The President did not invite us to suggest names,” he explained.

When questioned about the nominated names from the ODM party, Mathenge stated, “The President mentioned that he would form a broad-based government.”

He also refuted speculation about Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's participation in the meeting.

President Ruto nominated several Cabinet nominees from ODM including Hassan Joho who was proposed for the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs; John Mbadi, nominated for the National Treasury; Wycliffe Oparanya, suggested for Cooperatives and MSME Development; and Opiyo Wandayi, proposed for Energy and Petroleum.

The vetting of these nominees concluded on Sunday, and the National Assembly Committee on Appointments has now retreated to prepare its report.

While addressing traders and residents of Toi Market on his visit after a Saturday dawn fire razed the market, Azimio Leader Raila exuded confidence that Ruto’s new broad-based government will live up to the expectations of Kenyans.

He said his party has people who will help the President deliver on his pledges. He noted that the President disbanded the Cabinet and asked to be given people who would assist him to deliver his promises to the people.

“They had failed, dissolved the Cabinet and came to us to give the people. They came begging please give us your people who know how to work. We have given him experts, you will now see things changing,” Raila told a gathering at Toi Market in Nairobi on Monday evening.