Burden of advisers: Ruto's bloated team of 20 advisers drain Sh1 billion from taxpayers

President William Ruto and Migori Governor Ochilo Ayacko interact with traders Florence Onyango (right) and Angela Ogolla during the inspection of the Sh47 Million Oria Fresh Produce Market in Uriri in the County. [PCS] When President William Ruto formed the government, he promised to reduce the number of presidential advisers as part of his austerity measures. However, Ruto now has at least 20 advisers with some of them serving at the level of Cabinet Secretaries while others are at the level of Principal Secretaries, gobbling up more than Sh1 billion to run their offices annually. The question being raised is whether the President needs all these advisers, yet he has Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries and technocrats in the relevant ministries who are best suited to perform most of the duties assigned to the advisors. "The number of advisers in my administration is going to be reduced by 50 per cent with immediate effect as part of the austerity measures that we are carrying out in government," said Ruto in July last year after the Gen Z protests forced him to dissolve the Cabinet. In less than one year, however, the presidential advisers have increased from about seven to 20, with more likely to join the team, especially with the broad-based arrangement in which the ruling Kenya Kwanza coalition is working with the ODM party. This is a stark contrast to former President Mwai Kibaki, who had only three advisers during his second term, who included Prof Kivutha Kibwana, the adviser on constitutional and youth affairs and Raphael Tuju, who served as the adviser on media affairs. Ruto's advisers include: Makau Mutua, Moses Kuria, David Ndii, Monica Juma, Karisa Nzai, Edward Kisiangani, Joseph Boinnet, Jaoko Oburu, Silvester Kasuku, Harriette Chiggai, Ali Somane, Abdi Guliye, Steven Otieno, Dominic Menjo, Nancy Laibuni, Augustine Cheruiyot, Kennedy Ogeto, Mohammed Hassan, Henry Kinyua and Joe Ager. Prof Mutua who is the latest to join the Ruto administration after being appointed as a senior adviser for constitutional affairs, is a longtime ally of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and has served as his political adviser for many years. Mutua is a distinguished Kenyan-American scholar who is a professor of law known for his contributions to international human rights and law journals and has been remembered as a harsh critic of Ruto who has previously vowed never to work in his administration. Kuria is former Cabinet Secretary in the Ruto administration and a former MP for Gatundu South and currently serves as a senior adviser in the Council of Economic Advisers to the President. Ndii is a renowned Kenyan economist, author and columnist widely recognised for his contributions to economic policy and governance. He is known for controversial posts on his X account sometimes satirically supporting sleaze. He serves as the chairperson of the President's Council of Economic Advisers. Kisiang'ani is an academician and political commentator who served as Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunications, with his tenure mired in controversy, where media houses accused him of interfering with press freedom. Ruto reassigned Kisiang'ani as a senior adviser to the Council of Economic Advisers following a sustained media onslaught accusing him of overstepping his mandate by creating a monopoly in the allocation of government advertisement to the media. Juma currently holds the position of National Security Adviser to the President and previously served as a Cabinet Secretary during Uhuru's second term and a Principal Secretary in Uhuru's first term in office. Boinnet served as the second Inspector General of Police up to 2019 and was appointed by Ruto in 2023 as the Deputy National Security Adviser in the Office of the President, which makes him assistant to Juma. Jaoko is a special adviser on economic empowerment and sustainable livelihoods. He is a son of Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga. Kasuku serving as governance adviser is an expert with more 24 years of experience in transport, infrastructure, urban planning and regional integration with significant leadership roles in government, academia and consultancy. Chiggai, who is currently serving as the adviser on women's rights, is a prominent lawyer known for her dedication to championing women's rights and governance. Guliye, a former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission commissioner, is an academician, researcher, and public servant with more than 25 years of experience in university teaching, research and administration, currently serving as an adviser on livestock and rangeland management. Otieno is an expert in cooperatives currently serving as an adviser on co-operatives and formulates policies to strengthen cooperatives, emphasising on financial inclusion, savings mobilisation, and economic empowerment, particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises. Menjo is a renowned figure in the agricultural sector, serving as a food security and animal production adviser and is part of a team of agricultural advisors working to transform the agricultural sector, reduce reliance on food imports, and promote exports. Laibuni is a policy analyst and agricultural economist, currently serving as an associate member of the President's Council of Economic Advisers where she specialises in agricultural public policy, value chain analysis, public expenditure, and food security. Ogeto who is a legal adviser to the President, has 26 years of experience in law and previously served as the Solicitor General during Uhuru's administration. Hassan is a member of the President's Council of Economic Advisors, has little recorded in practical service, whether to the country or abroad. Ager is a close ally of Raila, serving as an adviser on governance issues. Nzai is a political adviser and a former Member of the County Assembly for Jomvu Kuu Ward in Mombasa County. Cheruiyot is the senior advisor to and head of the Presidential Economic Transformation Secretariat. Kinyua is an expert and adviser on food security with a speciality in crops and value chains Major (Rtd) Somane, a retired military officer, was appointed as an adviser on security affairs in the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Burden of advisers: Ruto's bloated team of 20 advisers drain Sh1 billion from taxpayers

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Burden of advisers: Ruto's bloated team of 20 advisers drain Sh1 billion from taxpayers

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