Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria is no stranger to controversial statements and positions and 2023 was not any different.
Perhaps one of Kuria’s controversial moments in 2023 was in June when he launched an attack on the Nation Media Group following an expose by NTV that touched on the conduct of Cabinet Secretaries.
Edible oil import
The TV station alleged in its report that Cabinet Secretaries engineered a drop in the prices of edible oils resulting in the loss of taxpayer's money to a tune of about Sh5.6 billion.
Kuria threatened the media organisation using unprintable words and issued a threat to state agencies against advertising with the media organisation.
He threatened that he would sack any state official who would dare place government adverts with the media organisation.
Media stakeholders such as the Kenya Editors Guild, and Kenya Union of Journalists condemned Kuria for his utterances.
"How they come at me is how I will respond to them. The way they feel hurt when I call them that is the same way we are hurt when they wrongly accuse us…,” Kuria said.
President William Ruto came to the defence of Kuria after he attacked the media.
Ruto said that people should defend the rights of the people who call out the media.
The President said that if the media houses are feeling pain about what others say, they should also feel the same way they write about others.
"I saw one journalist saying that the President should defend us from Moses Kuria, that's fine; I will do my bit, but I want to ask them who is going to defend me from rogue media because I go through hell all the time," Ruto said.
I am firmly in charge
In September, Kuria sensationally claimed that since President William Ruto, his Deputy Rigathi Gachagua, and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, had travelled abroad for official assignments, ‘he was firmly in charge’ of the country.
“Our President, Deputy President, and Prime cabinet secretary travelled outside. This means I am firmly in charge,” he said.
By law, in the absence of the President and Deputy President, the Speaker of the National Assembly is in charge of the country.
In the same month, Kenyans were protesting about the high cost of fuel when Kuria made the remarks.
Drill your oil wells
Kuria told people who were complaining about the high cost of fuel to drill their oil wells.
“Ukishinda umesema bei ya mafuta imeongezeka kutoka asubuhi mpaka jioni, si uchimbe kisima chako (When you keep complaining about the cost of fuel increasing from morning to evening, why don’t you drill your oil well)” he said.
This was even after he warned Kenyans that the cost of fuel would continue increasing by Sh10 every month until February 2024
"Global Crude Prices are on an upward trajectory. For planning purposes expect pump prices to go up by Sh10 every month till February," he said on X.
To add more pain to injury, Kuria dropped another bombshell to his followers stating that petrol will retail at Sh260 by February 2024.
"I repeat. Petrol will be Sh260 by February. El Nino is coming in 3 weeks and will last till March. These are global and climate change driven," he said.
"Responsible leaders ought to tell the truth to prepare the people. You can throw stones at me all you want."
Unbothered Kuria - impeachment threat
In November, Kuria dismissed calls by some Senators to have him sacked following his controversial remarks on the impeachment of Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
Speaking on Citizen TV’s JKLive Show, a seemingly unbothered Kuria remained adamant on the push by the lawmakers to have him ousted, insisting that he has the right to express his opinion.
Kuria maintained his disapproval of Kawira's impeachment and maintained that Senators were being misled by external forces in the impeachment case against Mwangaza.
“I am 52 years old out of which I have been only a minister for one year. It is not a big deal. I don’t want to engage in that kind of a thing; I am a busy person…I am busy every day working for this nation. Well, it is what it is,” Kuria told show host Jeff Koinange.
Following his remarks about Mwangaza’s case, Senate Majority Aaron Cheruiyot asked National Assembly counterpart Kimani Ichung’wah to introduce an impeachment motion against Kuria.
Cheruiyot expressed disapproval of Kuria’s remarks stating, “On behalf of the Senate, I want to express my disappointment in the increasingly unacceptable conduct of Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria. His recent tweet was not only in bad taste but also portrayed senators in a negative light.”
Too busy for King Charles III
In the same interview with Koinange, Kuria said he was too busy to meet King Charles III during his recent visit to Kenya.
Kenyans on social media had been speculating that he was deliberately excluded due to his controversial statements and positions.
But Kuria responded by saying he had received an invitation from the British High Commission but was unable to attend due to prior commitments.
“I was invited and sent an apology,” he stated.
Kuria further defended his absence at the State Banquet hosted for the royals by President William Ruto.
“Suppose I was doing better things; like building this nation or looking after my docket…you know I am a man. I don’t have the luxury. I am studying huge books…I take my work very seriously,” he added