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Ruto Cabinet Performance: Why Kindiki stands out

Ratings have showed CS head and shoulders above his colleagues in Cabinet

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by The Star

News09 February 2024 - 14:57
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In Summary


  • Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is among the top leaders who have heaped praises on Kindiki for doing an exemplary job.
  • During a church service at his backyard recently, the DP urged CSs to borrow a leaf from Kindiki. 
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on February 1, 2024

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has once again emerged top with stellar performance ratings.

For the fifth time in a row, the man in charge of the country’s internal security has been rated as effectively performing his role.

A study by Tifa recently showed that of the CSs, Kindiki has been to every corner of the country, covering 41 counties in a year.

It also showed that he has never had a single foreign trip since he was appointed to the office by President William Ruto.

All his trips have been local and, going by the nature of the job, they have been to some of the most dangerous zones.

Kindiki’s engagements are largely field activities, which go a long way in solving complex security challenges, as opposed to office work.

The review revealed he held 192 activities last year – almost all of them out of Nairobi - the highest number compared with the other CSs. In some of the most troubled counties, he has made up to 10 visits in a year.

Labour CS Florence Bore was second with 183 followed by Zacharia Njeru of Water at 165 and Susan Nakhumicha of Health with 162.

While Bore topped the number of activities in Nairobi at 115, Kindiki did more work outside the capital with 118 mentions in the review.

“Kindiki Kithure has the lowest number of activities in his home county followed by Susan Nakhumicha,” Tom Wolf said in the report which followed a review of CSs’ travels.

It is believed that the minister could be doing more as his security docket includes undocumented activities.

Kindiki has been hailed for silencing guns in the North Rift, where his efforts have seen banditry cases come down.

Some observers hold that he has managed to tame crime incidents not only in Nairobi city, but also across the country.

The CS is also praised for enhancing professionalism in national administration and going slow on politics.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua is among the top leaders who have heaped praises on Kindiki for doing an exemplary job.

During a church service at his backyard recently, the DP urged CSs to borrow a leaf from Kindiki. 

“We want to really say, ministers and PSs, adopt the Kindiki style of management that once you focus on what you want to do nothing can stop you," he said.

In his quest for domestic, dynamic and multidimensional security solutions, the Interior CS regularly engages security and intelligence teams at the grassroots level.

The CS once told this writer that he concentrates his activities at the sub-county level “to understand their security challenges and craft response mechanisms together.”

From this, it has been observed that he manages security by being present and by working with his teams, including seeking views from the members of the community in security barazas.

⁠This is an innovation in a sector that traditionally relied on security ministers being briefed by senior officials in Nairobi.

With the briefs being often with scant details and edited versions to suit certain narratives, Kindiki has opted to go right at the heart of it.

“It helps him to get a personal experience and understanding of the situation and possible solutions,” a close ally told the Star.

Security chairperson of the National Assembly Gabriel Tongoyo sees Kindiki as “a minister who understood his assignment.”

“Don’t you see that is the bottom-up approach model in the security sector?” he said,. 

A senior security officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that in his more than 30 years of experience in the sector, he has never seen a security minister who works with junior officers to sort out the country’s security challenges.

“We have a solid Cabinet Secretary in charge of security. Kindiki is the security minister who wakes up every day to work with us to protect Kenyans, our borders and the properties therein.”

He lauded his dedication while adding that the minister has been on duty even during festivities, denying himself time with his family to keep the country safe.

“When every other CS broke for the traditional Christmas and New Year holidays to be with their families locally and abroad, or to engage in social activities in their localities, he traversed the length and breadth of the country and shared heartwarming moments with special police units undertaking risky security operations in the frontline," the officer said.

The CS, however, is under sharp focus over the long queues at Nyayo House in the face of delays in the printing of passports and identification cards.

His ministry promised to act on the concerns, although many Kenyans feel the government is taking too long to solve the debacle.

Known for his laser-focused attention on issues, many citizens have been asking the CS to consider camping at passport centres and registration bureaus.

“From the complaints regarding delays in issuance of passports, it appears there's a big gap at Nyayo House that needs your attention. You might have to camp there for at least a year,” one Martin Njuguna.


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