Comedian turned activist Eric Omondi recently advocated for President William Ruto to appoint ordinary citizens, such as mama mbogas and boda boda riders, to his new cabinet.
Speaking on Citizen TV, Omondi proposed that President Ruto should fulfill his campaign pledge to create a government that reflects and serves the interests of everyday people, particularly those in small-scale businesses like mama mbogas and boda boda riders.
“I would highly recommend that he appoints, even if it is PS or CS, one Mama mboga. This then would show goodwill that if the President can lift one mama mboga, then he is ready to lift all Kenyans from poverty,” Omondi said on Thursday.
He said that there are many qualified individuals who due to lack of opportunities have resulted to becoming mama mbogas or boda boda riders.
The comedian pointed out that there are many mama mbogas holding quality degrees from distinguished institutions who can hold such positions.
He called on Ruto to change the narrative where appointment to cabinet positions is based on rewarding loyalty depicted during elections, friendships and political affiliations.
“If Ruto makes such an appointment, he might go down as the only president in Africa who picked an unknown graduate or professional and made him a Cabinet Secretary or Principal Secretary,” he said.
Omondi said that President Ruto is indebted to the mama mboga and boda boda rider who he specifically made a promise to during his campaign manifesto ‘bottom-up’.
His remarks come after Ruto on Thursday dissolved his Cabinet, sending home all Cabinet Secretaries and Attorney General.
The decision did not affect Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
“I have decided to dismiss with immediate effect all cabinet secretaries and attorney general of the Cabinet of Kenya except the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs,” Ruto said.
“And of course, the office of the Deputy President is not affected in any way.”
The president said the affairs of the Ministries will henceforth be coordinated by Principal Secretaries until a definitive cabinet is appointed.
The Head of State said the new cabinet will be named after extensive consultations across all sectors.
“I will immediately engage in extensive consultations across different sectors and political formations, to set up a broad-based government that will assist me in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent and irreversible, implementation of radical programmes to deal with the burden of debt, raise domestic resources, expanding job opportunities, eliminate wastage and unnecessary duplication of a multiplicity of government agencies and slay the dragon of corruption consequently making the government lean, inexpensive, effective and efficient,” Ruto said.
He added that with the CS out of office, ministry accounting officers among other officials will now take charge of operations.
“The operations of government will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials.”
President Ruto said he will be announcing additional measures in due course.
