Nairobi News

Former KTN news anchor Linda Ogutu, former Kirinyaga Woman Representative Wangui Ngirici, and retired Kenyan international footballer MacDonald Mariga have missed out on Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) positions.

Their names were not among the 50 that President William Ruto on Thursday.

The list was culled from a pool of more than 600 applicants, to a final shortlist 0f 224 candidates who were invited for interviews. But the final list of 50 nominees is without several notable candidates.

Linda Ogutu – The renowned TV journalist also served as chairperson of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) caretaker secretariat after she was appointed by former sports CS Amina Mohammed.

After she was interviewed for the CAS job she asked Kenyans to pray for her.

“Mkiamka kesho mtapatana na hii list. Naomba tupendane kama Wakenya. Tafathali naomba muamke, mkunywe chai na mniombee. Maisha ni kuombeana please (When you wake up tomorrow you will find this list. I pray we love each other as Kenyans. I besiege you to wake up, take your breakfast and pray for me.)” she tweeted.

MacDonald Mariga – He is one of the most successful footballers in Kenyan history. He played for some of the biggest football clubs including Inter Milan (Italy) and Real Sociedad (Spain). A political ally of President Ruto, he unsuccessfully contested the Kibra parliamentary seat in 2019 and 2022.

Wangui Ngirici – She was the second Woman Representative in Kirinyaga County and had been elected into office with a Jubilee party ticket. She then went for the gubernatorial seat as an independent candidate but was defeated by Governor Anne Waiguru.

Most of those who have benefited from the appointments are Kenya Kwanza poll losers and backers, as well as politicians who ditched the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya Coalition after Dr Ruto was declared winner of the August 2022 presidential poll.

The Azimio coalition is led by Raila Odinga, who rejected the election result.