Kalonzo Tells President Ruto to Drop Cabinet Nominees with Integrity Questions to Avoid 'International Shame'

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has faulted President Ruto for nominating individuals with questionable integrity to his Cabinet.

Musyoka says a number of Ruto’s 22 Cabinet nominees have pending criminal cases in court, and urged the president to rescind their nominations to avoid what he termed as “national and international shame.”

"The selection of the Cabinet Secretaries, some of whom have amazingly active criminal cases, is questionable.  What are you asking our parliamentarians to do? If I was William Ruto, I would withdraw some of these completely to avoid national shame and even international shame," Musyoka said on Friday.

He vowed to ensure that MPs affiliated with the Wiper party and the Azimio coalition raise the nominees’ integrity shortcomings during their vetting by the National Assembly.

"These (nominations) were not procedurally done and we shall direct our MPs to withhold approval of those who do not meet Chapter Six threshold of the constitution," Musyoka added.

Similarly, Musyoka questioned the source of the Sh3.5 billion fertilizer subsidy introduced by President Ruto days after his inauguration on September 13th. The president directed that 1.4 million bags of fertilizer be availed to farmers at a subsidized price of Sh3,500 per 50Kg bag down from Sh6,500.

"Now we also question how this fertilizer was procured, when it was procured and where it was sourced from. Does it even meet the KEBS standard? This administration, therefore, should make public the procurement process of this fertilizer subsidy. We have directed our MPs to commence an inquiry into the same," Musyoka added.