Ruto faces MPs as disquiet grows over looming purge

President William Ruto will today address a joint sitting of Parliament amid mounting national challenges including the lecturers’ strike that has paralysed learning in all public universities.

The national crisis, especially in education and health sectors as well the proposed additional tax measures, has strained public confidence in the administration.

The issue of taxation pushed Kenyans to the streets in June, almost bringing Ruto’s administration to its knees.

This will be Ruto’s second address and the first time the President will be meeting the legislators officially since the historic ouster of Rigathi Gachagua as Deputy President.

The government is facing a crisis in the health sector as well as political tensions within the ruling coalition, fuelled by a looming purge in parliamentary committees.

There is also a problem with the funding of university education after a court suspended the new model, leaving students to their own devices.

The health sector is in chaos with the new Social Health Insurance Fund facing implementation problems, triggering massive public outcry.

Ruto is expected to outline concrete solutions to the challenges Kenyans are facing to build confi - dence in his government.

Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia told the Star the President must prioritise critical issues bedeviling the country when he addresses the nation today.

“I want the President to address particularly the thousands of students who couldn’t join university due to the high fees arrangements through Mean Testing instruments placing them in bands 4 and 5,” the lawmaker said.

“The head of state must also come clear on the challenges of SHA occasioning a serious health crisis in the country.”

Kaguchia also wants Ruto to touch on the high cost of electricity and incompetence in most of the senior executive ranks.

Lamu East MP Ruweida Obo said the President’s speech should highlight state interventions towards making life bearable for the marginalised regions.

“I will be very much glad if the President touches on any issue of the marginalised communities,” she said.

The constitution mandates the President to address the bicameral Parliament once every year, during which he highlights key issues including the country’s security and apprising MPs on steps the government is taking to realise the national values as captured in Article 10.

The address comes weeks after the swearing-in of Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, whose coming into the office was lauded as major step towards refocusing government’s attention on service delivery to Kenyans.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula directed members to be punctual for the address that will be the only agenda for the two Houses.

“Tomorrow afternoon, the President will be giving the State of the Nation Address and I need not to over-emphasise that you should be punctual and that the President will be heard in silence,” Wetang’ula said.

Members will from Monday have time to debate the President’s speech before they proceed for a long recess from December 6.

Even as the President addresses the nation, the specter of the purge of Gachagua’s allies hangs heavily amid rumours that some key figures in the administration could be dropped in the looming changes.

Laikipia Senator John Kinyua on Tuesday opted to resign from the Parliamentary Service Commission to avoid the purge. 

There has been palpable tension as MPs in Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza who sided with Gachagua are now counting days before they are kicked out of lucrative committees for less influential House teams.

Those who are either committee chairpersons or deputies are also facing the axe. The targeted voted in favour of Gachagua in the impeachment motion.

At least 10 committees could be affected. Among the big names likely to be kicked out is Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, current chairman of the powerful Budget and Appropriations Committee.

It is emerging that Nyoro is likely to be replaced by Molo MP Kimani Kuria, who is the chairman of the Finance and National Planning Committee.

Apart from Nyoro, members of the budget committee could be removed. Some of the committee members have been accused of skewing the budgets for Energy, Education, Roads, Water and Wildlife projects to their constituencies. In the Senate, those facing the axe include senators Karungo Thang’wa (Kiambu), John Methu (Nyandarua), James Murango (Kirinyaga), Kanar Seki (Kajiado) and Joe Nyutu (Murang’a).

Thang’wa chairs the Roads, Transportation and Housing Committee. Methu is the chairman of the Lands, Water and Natural Resources Committee, while Murango is in charge of Agriculture.

Seki chairs the Trade and Industrialisation Committee while Nyutu chairs Education. Last month, Thang’wa confirmed the plot to oust them.

“We have been threatened and told that we are going to be removed from chairmanship. Bring it on. I was elected by the people of Kiambu. They never knew there were chairs inside Parliament,” he said.