Ruto's revolving door keeps allies guessing where the axe falls next

President William Ruto handing over the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Amendment) Bill 2024 to Attorney General of Kenya, Justin Muturi after he signed the bill into law at State House, Nairobi. [EDWARD ALUSA/PCS/24/4/2024.] The sweeping changes in President William Ruto's government, now two and a half years old, coupled with his track record of dismissals, raise serious questions about whether he values competence or friendship. When selecting his appointees, President Ruto has made a name for himself by showering them with praise for their integrity and expertise. However, the narrative shifts dramatically when they ultimately get the boot. Before dismissing former Cabinet Secretary for Public Service and Human Capital Development, Justin Muturi, Ruto had hailed him as an astute public servant, commending his experience in national leadership. In May 2019, he backed Muturi for the Embu governorship after the latter abandoned former President Uhuru Kenyatta to support Ruto's presidential bid. As Muturi led the Democratic Party into the Kenya Kwanza Alliance, Ruto lavished him with praise, highlighting their longstanding political alliance and vouching for his statesmanship. He asserted that if Muturi did not join his coalition, the 2022 election would be the first time they found themselves on opposing sides. "Muturi has an outstanding track record, and I have a history with him as we have been in the same political camp over the years. His DP party strongly believes in reviving the economy, which aligns with our manifesto," Ruto, then Deputy President, stated. However, a day before sacking him, Ruto described Muturi as fairly incompetent. "I had a problem with the Attorney-General who was there before (Justin Muturi) he was fairly incompetent. But now, I have a very competent lady in the position," the President remarked. When he was on good terms with his now-impeached deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, Ruto described him as a leader who carried the aspirations of the people, an astute mobiliser, and someone who truly understood their needs. However, after their fallout and Gachagua's impeachment, Ruto dismissed his former deputy as a tribal bigot who was both incompetent and clueless. He used similar language against his Cabinet and Principal Secretaries in August 2023 when signing of performance contracts at State House. He criticised them as clueless and accusing them of having scant knowledge of the dockets they oversaw. "I call many and ask them what is going on, and they have no clue. Yet this is your department; this is your job. You are not a messenger, a security officer, a photographer, or a watchman - you are the PS or the minister. If you have no information, how do you run a ministry, a department, or a parastatal? That is the highest level of incompetence," he stated. Expressing frustration over their inability to advise him effectively, Ruto urged them to embrace a culture of reading to familiarise themselves with their respective portfolios. On July 11, last year, while dissolving the Cabinet, Ruto claimed that most of his Cabinet members could have performed better. He justified his decision by citing public dissatisfaction. "Upon reflection, after keenly listening to the people of Kenya and conducting a holistic appraisal of my Cabinet's performance - its achievements and challenges - I have decided to dismiss with immediate effect all Cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney-General, except for the Prime Cabinet Secretary and the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs," the President announced. However, when reconstituting the Cabinet, he retained several CSs he had initially dismissed. Among the new nominees, Ruto reappointed Muturi and forwarded his name to the National Assembly, which subsequently approved it. Political analysts have compared Ruto's frequent government reshuffles to a chef constantly blaming the ingredients for a bad meal. Professor Gitile Naituli, a management and leadership expert at Multimedia University of Kenya, recalled that from the outset, Ruto had promised a government that would deliver economic transformation, lower the cost of living, and create jobs. "Instead, Ruto's administration has been marked by frequent policy missteps, rising public discontent, and now a revolving door of Cabinet appointments. Each reshuffle is presented as a fresh start, an effort to enhance efficiency and accountability. Yet, despite every change, the same problems persist-high taxes, ballooning public debt, worsening corruption, and an economy that continues to burden ordinary Kenyans," Naituli observed. He questioned whether the reshuffles were truly performance-based, arguing that if they were, Kenyans would have seen tangible results. In his view, Ruto was shifting blame rather than taking responsibility. "A leader confident in his vision does not need to keep replacing his team. He leads with clarity, provides a clear policy direction, and ensures competent implementation. Ruto's constant Cabinet shake-ups reflect deeper issues in his leadership," Naituli opined. Daina Gichengo, Executive Director at the Institute for Social Accountability, echoed similar sentiments, arguing that committed technocrats who are true public servants are rarely rewarded for their exemplary performance, while under-performers are often promoted. "There is a lack of proper performance evaluation measures to guide government reshuffles and reorganisations," she noted. Phanice Omondi, a political analyst noted, "Public shaming officials erodes public trust in them; it undermines the integrity of government institutions and shifts focus from solutions to blame. Constructive leadership demands diplomacy not public condemnation to foster unity and effective service delivery." Makueni Senator Dan Maanzo said, "The buck stops with the President, failure by the government to deliver can't be blamed on the State officials but the President. Kibaki revived the economy in his 100 days in office because it was not about his choice of ministers but his policies.''

Ruto's revolving door keeps allies guessing where the axe falls next

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