William Ruto rules out picking politicians from opposition to form Cabinet

President William Ruto with ANC Party leader Musalia Mudavadi and other Kenya Kwanza leaders arrive for a parliamentary group meeting in Naivasha on September 16, 2022. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard] President William Ruto has ruled out selecting any member of the Opposition into his Cabinet or as chair of the various parliamentary committees. Ruto said that the Opposition should use its position to check the government and make sure that it delivers on its promises. Ruto, who is also the leader of the Kenya Kwanza team, exuded confidence that the coalition would have majority members in both Houses. Ruto was speaking in Naivasha when he joined MPs and senators in a Parliamentary Group Meeting in Sawela Lodge where several issues were discussed. "They (Azimio) claim to have the numbers yet we beat them by winning the Senate and National Assembly speakers," he said, and added that they will make sure Kenya Kwanza coalition picked the leaders of Majority and chief Whips in both Houses. "We shall not pick any member of the Opposition for the Cabinet or other positions in Parliament as it is their duty to hold the government in check," he said. Ruto lashed out at the previous government in which he was the deputy president for failing to engage legislators, a move that saw various projects collapse. "We shall engage legislators in our plans so that we can keep our promises," he said. Various committees He revisited the issue of the maize flour subsidy programme noting that the government was using Sh7 billion every month, cash that would have been used to buy fertilisers. President Ruto at the same time said that the move to give the National Police Service financial independence had already been implemented by the Treasury. "Police have now the funds and it is now time for them to deliver by making sure cattle rustling and corruption are addressed," he said. Kenya Kwanza, sources said, had settled on Kimani Ichungw'a for the position of Majority Leader in the National Assembly and Kipchumba Murkomen in the Senate. Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Gilgil MP Martha Wangari said that the aim was to pick the leaders for Parliament before making decisions about various committees. She said that they were confident after easily winning the Speaker positions in b oth Houses last week. "We have the support of the majority MPs and today's meeting is for the issue of parliamentary leadership and issues like the high cost of living," she said. She added that in the previous session, Parliament had expanded various committees so that all MPs could get a chance to serve in either one or two. Tiaty MP William Kamket, who won on a Kanu ticket, defended his presence in the meeting, saying that he was practising freedom of association. He said that he was not party to the agreement between Kanu and Azimio, adding that he would work with the current regime. "The issue of Cabinet Secretary is the prerogative of the president and we shall leave him to do that as we concentrate on parliamentary seats," he said. Nakuru East MP David Gikaria said that the Kenya Kwanza team had the numbers in both Parliament and the Senate. "Our leader William Ruto is a firm believer in the rule of law and I am sure he followed the law when approaching MPs from other parties to join Kenya Kwanza," he said. Kabuchai MP Majimbo Karasinga praised the decision to elect Moses Wetang'ula as the House Speaker noting that this was part of the coalition deal. Karasinga added that with the resignation of Wetang'ula as Bungoma Senator, the seat should be taken by Ford-Kenya. Serve the public "We shall use this meeting to make sure that all parts of the country are fully represented by various leaders in Parliament as we embark on serving the public," he said. This was echoed by his Kanduyi counterpart John Makali who said that they would make sure the senatorial seat was retained by Ford-Kenya. "The meeting will set the agenda for this country after the elections which divided it," he said. New Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Kariuki said that they would discuss the issues of Competency-Based Curriculum, health, the high cost of living and support for the agricultural sector. "We hope that we shall come out as one united team ready to address the challenges Kenyans are facing," he said.

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