Cabinet Secretary nominee for Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy William Kabogo has defended himself against a perception that he is tough-headed and arrogant.
While appearing before the Committee on Appointments of the National Assembly on Tuesday afternoon, the former Kiambu governor said his tough-looking demeanor and tough stance on policy issues may be to blame for the misplaced perception.
“People describe you as tough-headed bordering on arrogance, highest level of high-handedness. How are you going to be compatible with being a CS with this kind of job that requires a lot of humility?” Suna East MP Junet Mohamed asked.
“Mr Speaker I have a very serious face just like yours,” he said in response, arousing laughter from the committee chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
“That may sometimes be confused but I’m very straight forward and I do not beat about the bush. I say things as they are and this is where people wonder whether I’m doing things right or doing the right things is the thing to do,” Kabogo said.
“I believe in doing things right. I have a very strong personality in putting things in order and that is why I was able to bring order to Kiambu; a very difficult county,” he added.
Wetang’ula asked why the Kiambu electorate rejected him after just one term. Kabogo served as Kiambu County boss between 2013 and 2017.
“Mr Speaker that’s a long discussion you and I will have because you know how elections are,” Kabogo said in response to the Speaker's question.
Junet interjected and sought to know whether the former county boss uses his tough look to scare people now that he said he wasn’t high-handed.
Leader of majority Kimani Ichung’wah interjected as Kabogo prepared to respond and said, in jest, that it’s probably a character trait for Kiambu people to be straightforward and say things as they are.
The Kikuyu MP said this should not be seen as him defending Kabogo over the perception by some people that he is arrogant.
“We are at times misconstrued to be arrogant but that’s just thy way we are those of us who come from Kiambu,” Ichung’wah said.
President William Ruto nominated Kabogo to the ICT docket, which fell vacant following the exit of immediate former CS Margaret Ndung’u.
Ndung’u was appointed as Kenya’s Ambassador to Ghana following a mini Cabinet reshuffle but declined the position citing personal reasons.
Kabogo was nominated alongside former Health CS Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture) and former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui (Investments, Trade and Industry).
