Ruto’s administration is set to appoint 50 people as Chief Administrative Secretaries, a move which is going to balloon the wage bill in an already struggling economy.
With the shilling battered by major world currencies, one would have thought the new administration would quickly employ cost cutting measures, including managing the public wage bill, making government leaner.
Not now, for political expediency outweighs any other form of reasoning. With devolution and the advent of digitisation, one would have thought the government would be leaner and thinner at the apex. This is now in doubt, with 50 new appointments as CAS.
The positions have been created, not to serve Wanjiku but them and by extension, the appointing authority (President William Ruto). What is CAS, what do they do in terms of value and service delivery? Probably none, other than serve the political interest of their maker, at the grassroots.
A political student of Nyayo, Ruto knows one or two things about baiting opponents by dangling the carrot. Moi perfected this in the ’90s to manage the opposition as defectors joined the chorus of people praising him and Ruto must have borrowed a thing or two, having been mentored by Moi.
Plans for 2027 have been laid, with a firm foundation being built around the several appointees in the young administration Ruto is building.
They will be his messengers, running his political errands. If you thought digitisation of government would usher in a leaner government, you are dead wrong.
You must be prepared to shoulder the weight of a robust government, for Ruto must build his political muscle around the appointees, the errand boys/girls.
Most of them are leaders who fell on the roadside and must be resurrected for the 2027 battle. Your cries for a leaner government will be dealt with after the next general election. For now, be the donkey and shoulder the weight.
