UDA MP Wants William Ruto To Replace Ukambani Cabinet Secretaries: "Inaccessible"

• Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai called on President William Ruto to summon Tourism and Wildlife CS Alfred Mutua and his EAC counterpart Peninah Malonza
• He accused the Cabinet Secretaries of turning their back on elected Ukambani leaders despite having campaigned together
• Mbai claimed that he had tried in vain to access the cabinet secretaries, saying it was way easier to reach the president and his deputy

Michael Ollinga is a journalist at TUKO.co.ke with over 10 years of experience covering courts and crimes, special reports, and current affairs in Kenya.

Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai wants President William Ruto to replace Cabinet Secretaries Alfred Mutua and Penninah Malonza for not being accessible and accommodating to other leaders in the region.

Ukambani Cabinet secretaries

Mutua was appointed Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs before he was moved to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife in the same capacity, while Malonza, who was initially the CS for Tourism and Wildlife, was moved to the East African Community docket during a reshuffle.

Mbai, while speaking in his backyard, accused the two executive officials of distancing themselves from the people and local elected leaders in their backyards.

He said the inaccessibility had made the locals feel they were not well represented in the Kenya Kwanza government, which would push them away from Ruto.

Alfred Mutua under fire from Ukambani MP

The MP claimed that together with other elected leaders from the region had attempted, in vain, to reach out to the Cabinet Secretaries to discuss issues affecting the community.

"The Kamba people no longer feel they are well-represented in the government. It is puzzling that Cabinet Secretaries appointed to advance the government's interests in Ukambani are distancing themselves from the people," stated Mbai.

He said that the Cabinet Secretaries could only understand the urgent needs of the locals and present them to the president if they could create time and space to interact with local MPs, senators, and MCAs.

"They are not making it possible to have meetings with us. When I went to Mutua's or Malonza's office, they kept me parked in the waiting room. I wonder what the problem is because we used to share vehicles and have regular meetings during campaigns," Mbai claimed.

Kitui East MP pleads with Ruto to rein in Ukambani CSs

During his address at Zombe African Inland Church in Kitui East, Mbai said it was easier for them to access Ruto and his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, than the Cabinet secretaries.

He called on Ruto to take the lead in ensuring the situation was turned around for the benefit of the people of Ukambani and the Kenya Kwanza regime.

"I know the president can resolve this matter. I have awakened it, and I'll continue until it is resolved. Our president is an excellent arbitrator, and I know he'll resolve this the same way he handled an impasse among Embu leaders," Mbai added.

Mutua and Malonza, successfully vetted by the National Assembly committee and appointed by Ruto, were moved during a cabinet reshuffle in October 2023.