President William Ruto yesterday completed the creation of what is the most bloated Executive in Kenya’s recent history, which is expected to gobble up Sh13.2 billion in five years, even as intrigues surrounding the appointment of 50 chief administrative secretaries (CASs) emerged yesterday.
The Nation has learnt that State House had initially asked the Public Service Commission (PSC) to create 23 CAS posts, which have now risen to 50, signalling competing political interests that saw the shortlist at one point reopened to accommodate more applicants.
“In way of this letter, the Commission is requested to declare 23 vacancies in the Office of the Chief Administrative Secretaries; and thereafter proceed to commence the recruitment process on a priority basis,” then Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua said in a letter to PSC on October 11, 2022.
The 50 CAS—whom President Ruto wants to act as the liaison between the ministries and Parliament as well as counties—will cost Sh460 million annually in salaries, totalling Sh2.3 billion in five years. PSC has classified CAS under CSG3, which is equivalent to Job Group V, making them entitled to a monthly salary of Sh765, 188.
The CASs, like the principal secretaries, are also entitled to a Sh35 million mortgage and Sh10 million car grant (Sh8 million for PSs), both of which will cost the taxpayer Sh2.25 billion in one-off payments over five years. The taxpayers will additionally provide Sh10 million and Sh3 million inpatient and outpatient medical cover for each CAS.
For Cabinet secretaries, taxpayers fork out Sh924, 000 in monthly salaries, Sh40 million in mortgage, Sh10 million in car loan and Sh17.18 million in gratuity once they are out of office.
In all, over the course of five years, taxpayers will pay Sh5.856 billion for salaries, Sh4.415 billion in mortgages, Sh1.128 billion in car loans and Sh1.815 billion in gratuity for the CSs, PSs, and CASs.
Belt-tightening
And although the mortgage and car loans are repayable within the five-year period, the strain on taxpayers to foot the nearly Sh3 billion at a time of budget cuts and austerity might mean belt-tightening in other sectors of the economy.
A CAS is also entitled to two top-of-the-range vehicles, a driver, an unspecified number of security personnel to be moving around with him or her and guarding their Nairobi and rural homes, a personal assistant and two secretaries.
The government may acquire extra office space for ministries that cannot accommodate another senior official, meaning an extra cost to the taxpayer. In former President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, some CASs were housed away from their line ministries due to limited space.
The President also missed the two-thirds gender rule in the CAS list with only 14 of the 50 posts going to women.
President Ruto has 22 CSs, including Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi and 51 PSs. Mr Kenyatta had 29 CASs and 44 PSs. Even though the Constitution caps ministries at 22, the CAS position that was created by Mr Kenyatta does not limit the President.
For President Ruto, the increase in the number of CASs from Uhuru’s 29 to 50 has allowed him to reward loyalists, August 2022 poll losers from opposition leader Raila Odinga’s Nyanza backyard and campaign bigwigs.
The intrigues in the appointment of the CASs began with the shortlisting, with six of the 16 people who were added after the first list was out being part of the 50 nominated.
Missing
Those who were conspicuous in the amended PSC list were former Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali, ex-Migori Assembly minority leader Nicholas Rioba, ex-Baringo Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat, Kibwezi West MP poll loser James Kimanthi Mbaluka, ex-Saudi Arabia ambassador Ali Saleh and Nandi governor poll loser Allan Kosgey.
Politicians from Mr Odinga’s Nyanza backyard picked for the CAS job are Homa Bay gubernatorial race loser Evans Kidero, former Kisumu Senator Fred Outa and former Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo.
Other than Dr Kidero, Mr Kosgey and Mr Gumbo, those who vied for governor in the August General Election or party primaries and lost and have landed a political lifeline with their nominations as CAS are John Lodepe Nakara, Jackson Kiptanui, Alfred Agoi and Chris Wamalwa.
Among politicians who defended their parliamentary seats and were outfoxed during the General Election or did not make it in the party nominations are Vincent Kemosi, Lilian Tomitom, Victor Munyaka, Kimani Ngunjiri, Millicent Omanga and Joseph Limo. Others are Cate Waruguru, Charles Njagua Kanyi, Amos Chege Mugo, Rehema Jaldesa, Mark Lomunokol, Anab Mohamed Gure, Khatib Mwashetani, Joash Maangi and Wesley Korir.
Uasin Gishu Woman Rep aspirant Rael Chebichii, former nominated MP Wilson Sossion, ex-Isiolo MP Rehema Jaldesa and Samburu West poll loser Stephen Loldepe have also been nominated.
Other politicians are former Narok Governor Samwel Tunai former nominated MP Isaac Mwaura, ex-Lamu East MP Sharif Athman, former Tana River MP Rehema Hassan, former Tharaka-Nithi Woman Rep Beatrice Nkatha, ex-Tana River Governor Hussein Dado and Nancy Nanyama Kibaba.
Apart from politicians who lost in the polls, the Head of State has also rewarded individuals who played a vital role in his campaigns behind the scenes and they are digital strategist Denis Njue Itumbi and immediate former Amani National Congress Secretary-General Simon Mwangi Kamau. Others in the campaign picked for the top jobs are Ann Wanjiku Mwangi and Edwin Sudi Wandabusi as well as Kenyatta University don Elijah Gitonga Rintaugu.
Some professionals picked are former Gender Principal Secretary Mwanamaka Amani Mabruki and former National Drought Management Authority boss Sunya Orre.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua last week defended the CAS role, saying it was important to assist the CSs and PSs in ministries.
“I was looking for CS Mithika Linturi last week because I was going to the agricultural show in Eldoret and he was not here, he was in some country where the President had sent him. If there was a CAS, that is the person I would have gone with to the show so that he can make whatever policy pronouncements he needs to make, but I had to recall Linturi. He stopped what he was doing to come back so that we could go together to the show because what happens when you go to meet farmers, and exhibitors, there are certain issues that will be required from a minister,” said Mr Gachagua.
Mr Odinga last week termed the CAS positions a waste of public money arguing that the resources being used to expand the Executive should be pumped into addressing the high cost of living as well as increasing funding to institutions of higher learning.
“This is not the time to create offices and positions for Kenya Kwanza political rejects. Instead, Kenya Kwanza must be forced to redirect resources towards making life liveable for all our citizens,” he said. BY DAILY NATION