Former CS and President's adviser Moses Kuria. /MOSES KURIA/XFormer Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has broken his silence on the second anniversary of his departure from the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, expressing deep disappointment over what he describes as the death of a bold industrialisation dream he once championed.
In a heartfelt statement on X shared Saturday, Kuria reminisced about his tenure in government, recalling ambitious plans to transform Kenya into a hub of foreign direct investment and business process outsourcing.
“I had huge dreams for our country,” he wrote.
“I dreamt of rapid industrialisation. I launched County Aggregation and Industrial Parks. I launched many Special Economic Zones and Export Processing Zones. I led huge efforts in bilateral trade and regional integration.”
Kuria’s vision, he said, was to create millions of jobs for the Gen Z generation through strategic investment and industrial growth.
But two years on, he laments that the momentum has stalled.
“Looking back at the last two years, I am disappointed that this dream has been extinguished,” he stated, adding,
“But I refuse to give up on Kenya. We still have a great country with immense potential.”
Kuria’s reflections come against the backdrop of a turbulent political journey that saw him rise and fall within President William Ruto’s administration.
Initially appointed as Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Investment, Kuria was later reassigned to the Ministry of Public Service.
A close ally of President Ruto, his tenure was cut short in July 2024 when he was among 12 Cabinet Secretaries dropped during a major reshuffle triggered by Gen Z-led anti-government protests.
He was replaced by Rebecca Miano, who was subsequently moved to the Tourism and Wildlife docket.
Though sidelined from Cabinet, Kuria was later appointed to the Council of Economic Advisers at State House, a role he resigned from on July 9, 2025.
Speaking candidly on Citizen TV on August 19, Kuria revealed that his resignation was prompted by the government’s handling of the Saba Saba protests.
“I resigned one day after Saba Saba. I resigned because Saba Saba shattered me totally,” he said.
Kuria recounted watching the protests unfold as he travelled back from abroad and feeling compelled to take a stand.
“On the 8th of July, I went and told the President, ‘It is hazy right now and I feel I need to have my head out there and be able to look at things more clearly, and be neutral in this conversation, so that the truth can come out,’” he said.
He maintained that his exit was voluntary and not a dismissal, adding that President Ruto respected his decision, albeit with regret.
“He told me, ‘It is your decision, but it is unfortunate,’” Kuria recalled.
Once a staunch defender of Ruto and the Kenya Kwanza administration, Kuria also disclosed that he was never given a reason for his removal from Cabinet - and never sought one.
“Why would I be entitled to ask why I was removed as CS? Did I speak to him when he appointed me?” he posed.
As Kuria marks two years since stepping away from the ministry where his industrial vision was born, his message is one of both sorrow and resilience.
While the dream may have dimmed - at least in his own opinion - his belief in Kenya’s potential remains undeterred.
