Dear President William Ruto: Here is our proposal on the new-look Cabinet

As President Ruto readies himself to making changes in his Government, The Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has suggestions as based on: Average performance; Qualifications; Previous experience; public perception and integrity in discharge and handling of public affairs.

We asked ourselves several questions;

1. How many Cabinet Secretaries should be maintained in the new Cabinet?

Not more than a third (5 – 7 persons of 22 CSes). This is to allow for the continuity. It will also provide opportunity of injecting the much-needed new blood in the Cabinet

2. Should Cabinet be trimmed to 15 Persons or less?

Ours is an emphatic No. We are not persuaded on account that some key yet unexploited areas would lose the visibility they are currently enjoying. Such areas include Mining, Green/Blue Economy; Climate Change; among others. Priority should be on right-sizing the workforce and not reducing the number of Ministries – much as it could lower some cost.

Yet the pros and cons of limiting the number of Cabinet Secretaries are outweighed by the cons. Without Assistant Ministers (Chief Administrative Secretaries) the CSes will bear extremely heavy burdens on fewer CS’es with added mandate. They will end up as desk CSes.

3. What are the Major Weakness of the Current Cabinet?

From the casual look, on average, the outgoing Cabinet was never a team with common purpose. There is literally no collective responsibility. CSes hardly communicated. They acted more like ordinary 8am to 5pm civil servants. Either the centre is too strong or their vacuum forced the centre (presidency) to keep the CSes on the periphery of observers and people to be occasionally seen. The mix was toxic – politicians, graduates & non-graduates, academicians and people without titles.

4. What are the Must-Do’s in the New Cabinet
   • Our recommendation is that all Cabinet secretaries must be graduates (preferably a Masters Degree) from recognized institutions.
   • We need people who are competent to read, write and speak in English.
   • While experience is welcome, a Cabinet Secretary should never overstay in a single Ministry for more than 5 years. On this the key Ministry of Energy comes under focus
   • There needs to be regional balancing. The current Cabinet has heavy representation of 2 out of 45 tribes. Some semblance of balance needed
   • It is important that Ministry mandate have a co-relation with proposals of budgetary allocation
   • We need ethical and well-groomed CSes. We must drop people who are drunkards and or have questionable social characters. Above all, our CSes should be people who embrace and or part of the most important social unit, the family

5. Where should new Cabinet Secretaries come from?
   • Our proposal is that at least 2 working Principal Secretaries should be elevated to CS’es. We have in mind people like Charles Hinga, Chris Kiptoo, Korir Sing’oei and Raymond Omolo, among others. This would motivate other PSes who act as if they are personal assistants to CSes
   • Private sector should produce at 3 Cabinet Secretaries. Look for people who have excelled in the industry and fit the basics of merit of appointment
   • We need an all-rounded youth to articulate issues of the youth – in a different version

Accordingly, we recommend as follows;

CATEGORY A: GREEN (MUST-KEEP)

1. Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi
2. Prof Abraham Kithure Kindiki
3. Aden Bare Duale
4. Rebecca Miano
5. Ababu Namwamba

CATEGORY B: AMBER (EXERCISE EXTREME DISCRETION)

6. Ezekiel Machogu
7. Eliud Owalo
8. Davis Chirchir
9. Alice Wahome
10. Njuguna Ndung’u
11. Soipan Tuya
12. Simon Chelugui
13. Dr Alfred Mutua

CATEGORY C: RED (PROHIBITED – NO GO ZONE)

13. Aisha Jumwa
14. Mithika Linturi
15. Moses Kuria
16. Kipchumba Murkomen
17. Florence Bore
18. Susan Nakhumicha Wafula
19. Zachariah Mwangi Njeru
20. Peninah Malonza
21. Salim Mvurya
22. Florence Bore

KEY MINISTRIES ALLOCATION

The key dockets of Prime Cabinet Secretary, Interior, National Treasury, Education, Energy, Roads & Transport should be restricted to Category A or the new entrants

MERGING OF MINISTRIES

If in the wisdom of the President a few Ministries must be merged – Our suggestion is;

• Combine Public Service with ICT
• Housing, Public Works and Water
• Tourism, Wildlife and Blue Economy
• Lands and Mining

We appreciate feedback: hotline@cofek.africa. We will be back with proposals on Principal Secretaries