Ruto on the spot for ‘tribal’ appointments
President William Ruto is on the spot for reportedly prioritizing the appointment of leaders from his Kalenjin community to lucrative government positions.
In his boss’s defense, the second-in-command, Rigathi Gachagua openly declared most government appointments and contracts would be preserved to those who voted for the Kenya Kwanza government.
He explained the government would reward its staunch supporters and those who toiled to put the current government in office and give the least consideration to members of the opposition.
“This government is a company that has shares. Some owners have the majority of shares, and those with just a few, while others do not have any. You invested in this government and you must reap. You sowed, tilled, put manure, and irrigated, and now it is time to reap,” he said.
While many Kenyans express their dissatisfaction over the tribal appointments, here are some of the leaders who have also weighed in on the debate;
Raila Odinga
The Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party leader Raila Odinga warned the country risked becoming ethnically split due to the skewed public appointments made by President Ruto’s administration.
Adding that most communities in the country felt alienated, Raila said it was unfair for communities that opposed their bid, discrediting their earlier remarks that they would unite Kenyans.
Ekuru Aukot
The former presidential candidate of the 2017 general election, shared that President Ruto was damaging so many young non-Kalenjins through his tribal appointments.
In a tweet, Aukot noted that the effects of the Head of State’s actions would last for the rest of the young people’s lives adding that the appointments were unfair and unconstitutional.
“The offensive, biased, and unconstitutional appointments of Kalenjins only to all state, parastatal, and even private offices are deeply distressing to many highly educated non-Kalenjin Kenyans. As they see, their Kalenjin peers enjoy unlimited access to contracts and lucrative deals, which they use to flaunt their quickly acquired wealth ostentatiously. The deep sense of grievance is noticeable everywhere. What@WilliamsRuto is doing is so damaging to so many young non-kalenjins it will last for the rest of their lives. Tribalism is being deliberately asserted so grossly that it is obscene in the extreme. It is toxic and destructive.”
Eddy Oketch
The Migori Senator faulted the government over what he termed as skewed appointments into public service.
In an interview on Citizen Tv in May, Oketch argued that the current regime was ill-advised to believe that appointing a section of individuals from a certain locality or tribe perceived as its stronghold equated to awarding their loyalists.
Adding that Kenya’s election is closed and secret, Oketch shared that it was not possible to determine whether or not a person voted for you, and thus very unfair to radicalize voters regarding their region or tribal community.
“Delivery on a national agenda should not be emotional because in a secret ballot, how do you know someone who voted for you? If you go out there and justify a tribal appointment as a justification for political support, then we are losing our country,” he said.
Jackson Ole Sapit
Early last month, the Anglican Archbishop Jackson Ole Sapit called out President Ruto’s administration over growing cronyism and tribalism in his appointments.
In a statement, Sapit said such appointments showed a lack of accountability in government agencies.
“There is glaring tribalism and cronyism, particularly about public appointments. There is an apparent lack of accountability and transparency in our institutions. This is not acceptable,” he said.
“Let all institutions and government agencies be impartial and efficient, and not simply beholden to political influence, but serve all Kenyans with impartiality.”
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