National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has stated
that President William Ruto is legally allowed to hire as many advisors as he
wishes, as there is no law placing a cap on the number.
However, Mbadi confirmed that the number of advisors across
ministries has been reduced by half, with each Cabinet Secretary now permitted
to have only one advisor.
Mbadi explained that while the law limits the number of
Cabinet Secretaries the president can appoint, it does not restrict the number
of advisors he can engage at any given time.
“The law allows the president to hire advisors. There is no
provision regarding the number. The people of Kenya didn’t impose a limit. What
they did was set a maximum number of Cabinet Secretaries,” Mbadi said.
Speaking on Citizen TV on the night of May 6, 2025, Mbadi
asserted that the law effectively gives the president a blank cheque when it
comes to hiring advisors.
“I don’t have the authority to hire advisors for the
president, and I don’t want us to go beyond my pay grade,” he said when asked
about the National Treasury’s role in regulating advisor appointments.
Responding to questions about a circular issued by former
Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u aimed at cutting down the number of advisors, Mbadi
stated:
“That directive was implemented. But did it affect the
presidency? No, it didn’t,” he affirmed.
“A Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury cannot issue a
circular that binds the president. Even when it concerns a government position,
you can’t do that. The only circular that binds the entire government, including
the Office of the President, must come from the Office of the President itself.”
Mbadi added:
“All advisors were cut by at least 50%. As of
today, Sam, I only have one advisor. My predecessor had two.”
Questions have emerged over the rising number of advisors at the State House, which has more than doubled, despite President Ruto’s earlier
promise to cut them by half.
The recent appointments of Prof. Makau Mutua—a close ally of
ODM leader Raila Odinga—and Jaoko Oburu, the son of Siaya Senator Oburu Odinga,
have added to what critics describe as an already bloated executive.
This expansion comes despite the president's public
assurance, at the height of the Gen Z protests, that he would reduce the cost
of government by trimming the number of his advisors.
“The number of advisors in government shall be reduced by 50
within the public service with immediate effect,” President Ruto declared on
July 5, 2024.
However, the number of presidential advisors has grown from
around 7 to approximately 17 in just over 10 months, with further appointments
made through the broad-based exchange programme.
Before Makau, a week earlier, Jaoko Oburu was appointed as the
President’s Special Advisor on Economic Empowerment and Sustainable Livelihoods.
Other current presidential advisors include Prof. Abdi
Guliye, Dominic Menjo, Nancy Laiboni, Henry Kinyua, Steven Otieno, David Ndii,
Augustine Cheruiyot, Moses Kuria, Mohamed Hassan, Prof. Adams Oloo, Joe Ager,
Dr. Silverstone Okumu, Prof. Edward Kisiangani, Harriette Chiggai, and Kennedy
Ogeto.
