On December 19, 2024, William Ruto made further changes to his cabinet for the third time in two years since assuming office in September 2022.

In recent changes, Ruto nominated former governors William Kabogo, Lee Kinyanjui, Nderitu Muriithi and former cabinet secretary Mutagi Kagwe to different government positions.

Others nominated to various posts included Margaret Nyambura, Andrew Karanja, and former Muranga Senator Kembi Gitura.

With the new CS nominations, the Mt. Kenya region is poised to dominate the cabinet.

If the national assembly approves Kabogo, Kinyanjui and Kagwe, they will join Justin Muturi, Rebecca Miano, Alice Wahome, and Eric Muriithi in the cabinet.

Seven CSs out of 20 will be from the Mt. Kenya region, constituting 35 per cent of the cabinet.

When the president, deputy president and attorney-general are included, eight cabinet members will be from the Mt. Kenya region, constituting 34.7 per cent of the cabinet.

Only five of the 20 CSs are women, representing 25 per cent. There are only six women in the entire cabinet of 23 individuals.

Ruto promotes ethnic exclusivity and gender discrimination

Article 1 of the constitution affirms that all sovereign power belongs to the people of Kenya and is exercised on their behalf per their will.

Any attempt by Ruto to unilaterally select cabinet members without reflecting the diversity, equity, and inclusivity mandated by the constitution undermines the people’s sovereignty and the principles of democracy. Such actions contravene the public's trust and obligation to exercise power in their interest.

Article 10 of the constitution identifies the key national values and principles of governance, including patriotism, national unity, sharing and devolution of power, the rule of law, and democracy. It also emphasizes the participation of the people, human dignity, equity, social justice, inclusiveness, equality, human rights, non-discrimination, and protection of the marginalized.

Further, article 27 (8) provides that the state shall take legislative and other measures to implement the principle that not more than two-thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender.

Still, article 130 (2) says the composition of the national executive shall reflect the regional and ethnic diversity of the people of Kenya.

With the new cabinet nominations, Ruto has grossly violated the constitution, especially provisions of articles 10, 27 and 130, by openly and blatantly promoting regional ethnic exclusivity and gender discrimination.

Ruto is desperate

In a desperate attempt for political survival, Ruto has resorted to advancing ethnicity and patriarchy to try and gain some form of legitimacy for a regime that has completely lost public trust.

Concerned about losing support in the Mt. Kenya region following the impeachment of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua, Ruto has taken unconstitutional steps to consolidate his position.

He has undermined Kenya’s diversity and his role as a unifying national figure by appointing five allies of former president Uhuru Kenyatta from the central region to key cabinet positions and influential parastatals.

It is hypocritical for Ruto to instigate the impeachment of Gachagua for merely preaching ethnic chauvinism and shareholding narratives. At the same time, he shamelessly practices worse ethnic, regional and gender discrimination for political expediency and survival.

It is concerning that this is not the first time that Ruto has deliberately failed to adhere to the set constitutional standards when making appointments in the public service.

Ruto has normalized disregard for the rule of law, evident in all his previous cabinet appointments, including the last in July 2024, which we have challenged in court, following highly successful pro-governance protests by young Kenyans.

Ruto’s unaccountability and mismanagement of public affairs must be firmly rejected. Kenyans should also reject his self-serving, discriminatory, and exclusive governance model, falsely presented as a “broad-based” and “all-inclusive” government that includes allies of Raila Odinga and Uhuru Kenyatta. In reality, it is a fully-fledged elitist rulership that contradicts his "hustlers vs dynasties" narrative during the campaign.

The constitutional commissions and independent bodies charged with ensuring ethnic and gender diversity in the governance of public affairs must be called out for their outright failure to carry out their mandates of holding the executive to account for constitutional breaches.

The National Gender and Equality Commission (NGEC) and the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) have failed in their mandates. They must forthrightly implement their constitutional duties, for which Kenyan taxpayers pay them.