Cabinet of millionaires: Ruto key men worth Sh18bn

Cabinet Secretaries in President William Ruto’s administration are collectively worth more than Sh18 billion.

 The picture of the team’s financial muscle became clear as MPs vetted the last three Cabinet nominees who were sworn into office on Friday.

 From their net worth, it’s clear the career politicians who have served the country in various capacities in the past are the men with more wealth.  

Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe, his ICT counterpart William Kabogo and Lee Kinyanjui who is taking the Trade docket have a combined net worth of Sh4 billion wealth. 

Kabogo, a former Juja MP and Kiambu governor, sad he is worth Sh3 billion 

Kagwe, a former ICT minister and later health CS, estimated his total wealth to be approximately Sh846 million. 

Kinyanjui, for his part, declared a net worth of Sh471 million.

 Cabinet Secretaries who assumed office in August after Gen Z protests declared a total net worth of Sh10 billion.

 Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, whose position was not tinkered in the changes, had declared in 2022 he was worth Sh4 billion. 

Also in the list of billionaires is Hassan Joho, the Mining and Maritime Affairs CS, who stated he was worth Sh2.3 billion.

 CSs with other bigger portfolios are Environment’s Aden Duale (Sh980 million), Education CS Julius Ogamba (Sh790 million), Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen (Sh620 million), and Wycliffe Oparanya of cooperatives at Sh600 million.

Public Service CS Justin Muturi had declared he was worth Sh801 million when he faced MPs in August last year, being land, properties, and sacco shares.

 Joho told MPs his wealth was drawn from developed and undeveloped property, listing homes in Mombasa, Vipingo, Malindi, and Nairobi.

He has shares in property holdings, valuables and cash at bank – all of which don’t include what his family owns.

Duale has assets in Garissa and Nairobi including land, houses, a cattle ranch in Garissa as well as rental property in the two towns.

These are besides shares in family-owned businesses, breeds camels and cattle, and has a fleet of motor vehicles, and his autobiography titled ‘For the Record’.

When he was being vetted for the Defence Cabinet Secretary in October 2022, the CS stated that he was worth Sh851 million.

CS Ogamba, a lawyer by profession, is worth Sh790 million, drawn largely from land, tea, trees, vehicles, farm equipment and income from the law firm.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki is estimated to be Sh694 million rich, comprising two homes - in Nairobi and Tharaka Nithi - and vehicles of about Sh17 million.

He also has savings in saccos and banks and still earns from legal practice.

Murkomen, who was recently moved to the Interior docket, was Sh620 million rich in August. His earnings are from farming.

Cooperative CS Oparanya said his net worth was about Sh600 million comprising buildings and residences.

Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi, who joined Cabinet recently, is also ranked as endowed financially, with his net worth at Sh530 million.

Wandayi, who until joining Cabinet was Ugunja MP, has a wealth portfolio that includes cash, real estate and farms.

He has farms in Siaya, Narok and some plots in Kitengela, Migori and Nairobi.

State officers are required by the Public Officers Ethics Act to declare their wealth before resuming office, and once every two years.

This is to safeguard against state officers and public servants engaging in illicit enrichment and unexplained wealth.

In its latest report, the Public Service Commission revealed that it released 32 wealth declaration records to investigative agencies.

The PSC said it has contacted the Kenya Revenue Authority, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Asset Recovery Agency and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation to look into the records.

They are to aid investigations of unexplained wealth of some public officers under investigation,” the report reads.

The wealth audit takes centre stage for nominees to government jobs, especially those who are joining for the first time.

It is among the mandatory questions fielded by the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments during the vetting of presidential nominees.

Davis Chirchir, the Roads, Transport and Public Works CS, has a net worth of Sh509.8 million, which he termed as “a small increase” of wealth by Sh27.6 million during the period he served as Energy CS.

Chirchir has a house in Spring Valley (Sh95 million), properties in Westlands (Sh50 million), vehicles, money in bank accounts and investments in the tea sector.

Tourism and Wildlife CS Rebecca Miano has a net worth of Sh444 million.

Miano was Trade Cabinet Secretary from October 2023 to July 11, 2024, when President Ruto dissolved his maiden Cabinet.

Treasury CS John Mbadi as of August was worth Sh380 million, comprising assets of Sh437 million and liabilities of Sh57 million.

Labor Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua disclosed his net worth to be Sh462 million comprising of land, hotels, businesses and apartments.

Mutua’s wealth has grown two-fold in the last 13 years since his net worth was Sh200 million before he was Machakos governor.

For his part, Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya’s net worth is Sh158 million, a jump from Sh120 million he declared last year.

Water CS Eric Muuga revealed that his net worth was Sh31 million including lands, coffee, tea, bananas and miraa farms.

Lands CS Alice Wahome for her part was worth Sh327,650,000, wealth she says is shared with her husband.

Health CS Debra Barasa had declared her net worth to be Sh455 million, also stating it was jointly owned by her and the husband.

Africa Wealth Report by New World Wealth revealed that Kenya had about 8,500 people who were worth over Sh130 million.