The swearing-in of Mutahi Kagwe, William Kabogo and Lee Kinyanjui as Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) for Agriculture and Livestock Development; Information, Communication, and Digital Economy; and Investment, Trade, and Industry ministries, respectively, comes at a time when high-level critiques have emerged from within the government. 

Their appointment followed the National Assembly’s approval, ahead of the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) planned recruitment of new Principal Secretaries (PSs), signalling a new wave of changes targeting technocrats to accommodate the interests of retired President Kenyatta and Raila Odinga in the broad-based government. 

On January 16, the Committee gave the green light to the three nominees to join President William Ruto’s Cabinet, paving the way for a debate in the National Assembly before their approval and later presentation of their names to the President for appointment and swearing in. 

Kagwe is a former Health Cabinet Secretary under retired President Kenyatta, Kabogo, a former Kiambu County Governor, and Kinyanjui, a former Nakuru County Governor. 

A few days ago, Public Service Cabinet Secretary (CS) Justin Muturi became the first member of the Cabinet to publicly criticise the government’s handling of the spate of abductions in the country. The CS alleged that the country’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) was behind the abduction of his son last year, as criticism against the abduction cases increased.

The move by the CS exposed the level of public anger over the wave of abductions in the country over the past few months. Muturi was a member of the National Security Council before being redeployed as CS after the Cabinet was dissolved at the height of the Gen Z protests in mid-2024.

President Ruto has yet to respond to Muturi’s condemnation, but some allies of the President have told Muturi to leave the government instead of lamenting the failures of the administration he serves.

Some political analysts argue that Muturi’s move has proved that he is President Ruto’s opponent and a critic within the government.

In addition, critics have also challenged the CS to come out clear on why it took him nearly six months to raise the matter. “Why did he not make any public statement about the matter around the time his son was abducted?” they posed.

Former police spokesperson Charles Owino, speaking on Citizen TV’s JKLive Show on Wednesday night, termed the CS’s statement on his son’s alleged abduction as ‘careless’, accusing him of breaching the President’s trust.

The former police spokesperson said that due to Muturi’s leadership calibre as a CS and immediate former Attorney General who was a member of the National Security Council, he ought to have known better about disclosing such sensitive intel to the public.

“It is a careless statement from a minister. He has breached the trust of the President. We can have our differences, but we must be very careful about how we release these matters,” said Owino.

Muturi insists that his actions were not driven by politics but by a moral obligation to address the growing crisis. “I’m seeking to have a discussion on this matter of abduction so that we can find a solution,” Muturi insisted, adding that his emphasis is the need for open, fearless dialogue.

A week ago, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) stepped up its criticism against President Ruto’s administration.

ODM interim leader Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o took issue with the growing abductions across the country, stating that the party would resist attempts by the government to oppress Kenyans. “We are ready to lead a popular resistance to dictatorial and oppressive politics that tries to impose an oppressive and undemocratic regime on people through such things as abductions and Precambrian political threats,” Prof Nyong’o said during an exclusive interim with the Nation team. “We therefore strongly caution the government to stop this cowardly abduction of those who criticise undemocratic policies,” he added.

Devolution matters

Additionally, on January 15, ODM slammed the Controller of Budget’s decision to limit county bursaries. The party leadership expressed grave concern over the directive by the Controller of the Budget to impose financial restrictions on county governments. The leadership said the decision highlights the principles of devolution and constitutionalism.  

“While county governments are being targeted with embargoes, the national government continues to act with impunity, encroaching on devolved functions without consequence. This includes the unilateral payment of Community Health Promoters (CHP), the imposition of the Housing Levy despite housing being a devolved function, and the construction of markets without signed intergovernmental agreements. If financial embargoes are to be imposed on counties, the same must apply to the national government until it complies with constitutional provisions for intergovernmental cooperation,” ODM said in its statement.

The party leadership called on the Controller of Budget to reconsider this directive and to apply equitable measures that uphold the constitutional rights and responsibilities of both levels of government.

“Devolution was designed to empower counties, foster equity and bring services closer to the people. Unilateral actions that undermine counties risk stalling progress and deepening inequalities,” they said.

The party, which saw four of its top leaders join the broad-based government last year, said it is committed to protecting the rights of all Kenyans to education and equitable development. “We urge the national government, the Controller of Budget, and all relevant stakeholders to uphold the principles of devolution, equity, and intergovernmental cooperation for the benefit of every Kenyan.”