CS Ruku accuses Kalonzo of keeping Kamba community out of Gov't for political gain

Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku has intensified his political attacks on Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, accusing him of keeping the Kamba community away from government for his own political interests.

Addressing grassroots leaders in Wote, Makueni County, Ruku opined that Kalonzo had denied the Kamba community opportunities to benefit from government programmes while personally enjoying state privileges.

"The government fuels Kalonzo Musyoka's motorcade, while he and his entire family enjoy Universal Health Coverage, yet he tells his fellow kinsmen that SHA and other government's programmes are bad," Ruku said.

He urged Kalonzo to join the Kenya Kwanza administration, saying that the veteran politician had exhausted his political career after serving in elective politics since the early 1980s.

"He has served in almost every ministry. I heard of him as a minister when I was still in primary school. The time has come for him to allow the Kamba people to see the light instead of using them for his personal political benefit," he said.

Ruku urged residents of the Ukambani region to abandon what he termed as community-based politics and instead support the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), which he described as a national political party.

"It is unfortunate that Wiper Patriotic Front is largely viewed as a party for the Kamba community. It is time we moved away from ethnic political parties. If every community formed its own party, it would be detrimental to national unity. Development is driven by good leadership, not by the political party one belongs to," he said.

He credited President William Ruto's leadership for what he termed as UDA's national outlook and governance agenda that has spearheaded economic empowerment to communities and the nation at large.

The CS also opined that Kalonzo was being politically manipulated by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, whom he accused of disrespecting fellow political leaders.

He cited recent public disagreements involving Democratic Party (DP) leader Justin Muturi, Party of National Unity (PNU) leader Peter Munya and Democratic Empowerment Party (DEP) leader Lenny Kivuti, saying the three had complained of coercion and disrespect from Gachagua.

"It is only a matter of time before Kalonzo finds himself in the same situation," Ruku stated.

Turning to the politics of the Mt. Kenya region, Ruku said the journey towards economic and political independence of Mt. Kenya East has taken off and the communities are prepared to chart their own political and economic path following the esolutions by the Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders.

"It is time for Mt. Kenya East to move forward with political and economic independence without looking back. When you aim an arrow at President William Ruto, you are also targeting our son, Prof. Kithure Kindiki, who comes from Mt Kenya East," he said in reference to political attacks by Gachagua.

Ruku also criticised Muturi, accusing him of unfairly attacking him despite his respect for the former Attorney General and Speaker of National Assembly.

"I respect JB Muturi as my father and elder because I am age mates with his son. He shoyld stop making unfounded claims against me. I led the team that defeated him the recent Mbeere North by-election. As an elder, let him not mislead the people of Mbeere and the larger Mt Kenya East region," he said.

He defended his brief tenure as Mbeere North MP, saying he had successfully lobbied for nearly 70 kilometres of roads and other development projects under the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Ruku further appealed to Muturi, Munya and Kivuti to work closely with DP Kindiki in championing the interests of Mt Kenya East, warning that failure to unite the three leaders will be humiliated Gachagua's vengeance and divisive politics.

The CS also urged opposition leaders to abandon what he termed as politically motivated campaigns against the Kenya Kwanza administration.

He maintained that President William Ruto's government was serving all Kenyans regardless of how they voted in the 2022 General Election.

On development, Ruku said the government had allocated Ksh.9.7 billion to facilitate the completion of the Thwake Dam by 2026, saying the project would unlock the agricultural potential of Makueni County through expanded irrigation.

He also highlighted the proposed National Infrastructure Fund, projected to mobilise Ksh.3.5 trillion, saying it would accelerate investments in information technology infrastructure, roads, water projects and last-mile electricity connectivity across the country.

The CS further directed Chief Executive Officers of State corporations and government agencies to fast-track the migration of their institutions to the Human Resource Information System (HRIS).

Ruku emphasised that the government's directives on the implementation of HRIS were mandatory and warned that administrative action would be taken against any accounting officer or chief executive who failed to facilitate the onboarding process.

"All Cabinet directives must be implemented. Any CEO who fails to onboard their institution onto HRIS will face administrative action," he said.