![How Wealthy Are Ruto's Cabinet Secretaries? [List & Figures]](https://assets-global.website-files.com/6038bfe131e18166ff8529be/608bd5c5fec5b02494df92a3_home_24px.png)
News and Analysis
April 24, 2024
President William Ruto’s nominees are undergoing parliamentary vetting at the National Assembly ahead of approval or disapproval. The National Assembly's Committee on Appointments hearings are public and have been broadcast live on national television.
The nominees have been asked a wide array of questions touching on their public record, integrity and their understanding of the issues facing their future dockets.
The integrity question included a public disclosure of each nominee’s estimated net worth. Money254 has compiled a report on each Cabinet Secretary’s net worth as disclosed to Parliament.
Age 62
The proposed Prime Cabinet Secretary has been in public service for 33 years. He was appointed to the Cabinet in 1989 after succeeding his father as Sabatia MP.
Mudavadi told Parliament he was worth about Ksh4 billion. His wealth was mainly in real estate - citing his Riverside Drive property which previously hosted the Musalia Mudavadi Centre.
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He also confirmed having shares at various firms - including a local aircraft leasing company which was not publicly disclosed.
The former ANC Party leader is also known to have homes in Karen and in Mululu, Vihiga County.
Age 66
JB Muturi, as he is popularly known, is the proposed Attorney General in the Ruto administration. Muturi estimated his wealth at Ksh 700 million.
The specifics of his wealth status were not made public. He, however, explained that his main sources of income included farming, consultancy, and government pension - as the immediate National Assembly Speaker.
In November 2021, Muturi supported then President Uhuru Kenyatta’s call for a lifestyle audit - publicly declaring his wealth to be around Ksh300 million. The National Assembly did not seek an explanation on how Muturi’s net worth doubled in less than a year.
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According to the Deputy President and Designated State Officers Act, former speakers of Parliament get a lump sum of Ksh120 million after exiting the office.
They also get a Ksh554,400 monthly pension and a monthly fuel allowance of Ksh173,250.
Age 53
The proposed Defence CS told Parliament that he estimated his net worth to be about Ksh851 million. His wealth was mainly in real estate where he earns Ksh10 million in rental income - and livestock. Duale told parliament that among his possessions are goats, cows and 231 camels.
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Duale has been in public service since 2007 when he was elected MP for Dujis Constituency. He also served in the grand coalition government as an Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Livestock Development.
In 2013, Dujis was split into two constituencies with Duale being elected Garissa Township MP. He maintained the position until his nomination to the Cabinet.
He also served as the Majority Leader in the National Assembly - between 2013 and 2020.
Age 52
The Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary nominee estimated his net worth to be Ksh420 million. Mutua noted that his wealth was mainly in his ownership of hotels including the A&L Hotel in Machakos. He also confirmed owning some apartments and other small businesses which he did not give details on.
The vetting committee probed the CS nominee to explain his wealth before he became Governor - answering that he was worth about Ksh200 million in 2013.
Minority Whip Junet Mohamed questioned how Mutua could be worth Ksh420 million if he owned the A&L hotel which in Junet’s view was likely worth more than that.
“I have been to that hotel when we had tea with you. With that hotel alone, you cannot be worth Ksh420 million, I am not convinced,” Mohamed stated.
Mutua explained that the hotel was built through a loan from a bank that has some shareholding as collateral. “When I am done paying that loan, perhaps in the next ten years, my networth will be worth a lot more,” Mutua answered.
Prior to serving as Machakos Governor, Mutua was the government spokesperson from 2004 to 2012 when he quit to join politics.
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He had previously taught as a lecturer in various universities in Kenya, Dubai and Australia. He has also freelanced as a journalist, penning the popular column - Msafiri - published by the Nation.
The nominee for the position of Water Cabinet Secretary placed her net worth at Ksh218 million. This, she says, is mainly in property she owns alongside her husband. She told MPs that her investments in real estate earn her a monthly income of Ksh500,000 in a good month.
Wahome has served as Kandara MP since 2013. Before joining Parliament, Wahome ran a city law firm - A.M Wahome and Company Advocates.
From 2014, it became Wahome and Akedi Company Advocates after her daughter joined the firm as a partner. She continued to practice law - but promised to resign from the law firm if approved to become a CS.
She will also be required to resign as Kandara MP if approved.
Age 50
The nominee for the position of Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Interior placed his net worth at Ksh544 million. He was the first nominee to give the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments a breakdown of his wealth. Real estate dominated his portfolio with land and buildings accounting for Ksh165 million, Ksh50 million in bank deposits and the rest in shares in various companies, and deposits in five different Saccos.
Kindiki served as Tharaka Nithi Senator for two terms (2013-2017). During his tenure as Senator, he served as Majority Leader (2013-2017) and as Deputy Speaker of the Senate (2017-2020).
The CS nominee is a professor of law and taught at the University of Nairobi and the Moi University before getting into politics. He also practices law - most famously representing the current President, William Ruto, at The Hague-based International Criminal Court (ICC).
Age 62
The Treasury Cabinet Secretary nominee placed his net worth at Ksh950 million. Prof Ndungú said his wealth was mainly in investments but did not offer more details.
Prof Ndung’u is a career academic but has also worked for various institutions as an economist. His most prominent role was as Central Bank Governor where he worked between 2007 and 2015. You can read more about his profile here.
Age 47
Aisha Jumwa, the Cabinet Secretary nominee for the Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action declared her net worth to be Ksh100 million.
Jumwa is a career politician who has been in elective politics since 1997. After dropping out of high school, she was married off at a young age. She became a KANU youth winger as a way of keeping herself busy before realising she had great people and leadership skills.
In 1997, at the age of 22, she was elected councillor in Takaungu Ward. She served as a councillor for two terms - at the same time being elected as Chairperson of the Kilifi Town Council. She later completed her secondary school education in 2011 and has since studied two degrees.
In 2007, she vied for the Malindi parliamentary seat and lost - making a comeback in 2013 when she was elected Kilifi Woman Representative. The CS nominee also served as Malindi MP from 2017 to August 2022. Rather than defend her seat, she opted to run for Kilifi gubernatorial seat which she lost.
Age 62
The Cabinet Secretary nominee in the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum declared that he was worth Ksh482 million. His wealth included farms in the Rift Valley, his city residence in Spring Valley in Nairobi (Ksh95 million), a rental property in Westlands (Ksh50 million), shares at a local tea-value-addition company (Ksh185 million), and bank deposits.
He is one of the country’s pioneer Information Technology experts. Chirchir worked in the telecommunications sector for years. He has been in the public sector for the past 13 years. In 2009, he was picked to serve as a commissioner in the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC). In 2013, he was nominated to serve as CS in charge of the Ministry of Energy.
He served in the Cabinet until 2015 when he stepped aside as part of then President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive requiring all public officers who were under investigation for graft-related breaches to leave office. He made a comeback in the public service earlier this year when he was picked to serve as Chief of Staff in then Deputy President’s William Ruto’s office.
Age 51
The Cabinet Secretary nominee for the Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry placed his net worth at Ksh750 million. His wealth includes investments in real estate and shares in various companies dealing in fintech, manufacturing, and energy sectors.
Kuria studied commerce at the University of Nairobi and has had a prolific career in the banking industry. In his early years, he worked for Total, Dyer and Blair, and the Standard Chartered Bank. He later proceeded to Saudi Arabia where he rose through the ranks in various banks.
He joined politics in 2007 but operated outside elected office until in 2014 when he became Gatundu South MP. He served as MP until 2022 when he unsuccessfully sought to become Kiambu Governor.
Age 43
The nominee for the position of Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Public Works placed his net worth at Ksh550 million. His wealth is mainly in real estate including his home in Nairobi, a second home in Eldoret, and parcels of land in Nairobi, Narok, Trans Nzoia, and Kajiado.
Murkomen is a lawyer, politician and teacher who has served in various positions in the public service. He is a partner at Sing’oei Murkomen and Sigei Advocates.
He previously taught law at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa before joining politics in 2013 when he was elected Senator of Elgeyo Marakwet.
Between 2013 and 2017, he served as Deputy Speaker in the Senate. After his re-election in 2017, he became Majority Leader in the Senate until his removal in 2020.
Age 43
The nominee for the position of Cabinet Secretary Environment and Forestry declared her wealth to be about Ksh156 million. Her wealth is mainly in real estate including three homes in Nairobi, Narok town, and in her home village.
She also owns rental properties in Nairobi and Narok and has two undeveloped pieces of land in Kajiado. The rest of her wealth is in Sacco shares and vehicles.
Tuya is a trained lawyer and politician who served as Narok Woman Representative for two terms (2013-2022). In 2022, the Kenya High School alumni initially sought nomination to run for the Narok Governor’s seat on a UDA ticket but stepped down in favour of the incumbent, Patrick Ole Ntutu.
She did not contest in the August 9, 2022, General Election. Before joining politics, she worked with various non-governmental organisations including USAID.
Age 48
The nominee for the position of Cabinet Secretary Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage placed her net worth at Ksh300 million. She explained that her assets were mainly in real estate - Ksh240 million in land she owns in Mombasa, Kitui, Nairobi and Kitui counties.
She also owns vehicles worth Ksh10 million and has Sacco deposits totalling Ksh30 million - the rest being in livestock and farm machinery.
Malonza started her career at AMREF where she initially started out as a social worker based in Kibra, Nairobi.
She later trained as a psychologist and worked for Compassion International as a programme officer before rising through the ranks to become part of the county management team.
She joined politics in 2013when she was elected Kitui Deputy Governor where she served for one term until 2017.
Age: 56
The Cabinet Secretary nominee for the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development estimated his wealth to be Ksh80 million. His wealth includes a home in Nakuru, various parcels of land, and shares in local businesses and saccos.
Njeru has worked in the private sector with stints at DT Dobie, Madison Insurance, and Blue Shield Insurance. In the public service, the CS nominee served as a nominated councillor in the Nakuru County Council and as a sub-county administrator in Nakuru county from 2015 to date.
Age 43
The Health Cabinet Secretary nominee estimated her wealth to be Ksh101 million as declared to the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments.
Her wealth was mainly in real estate, including a townhouse she owns in Syokimau. She also has parcels of land in Trans Nzoia, Kakamega, Eldoret, and Bungoma counties. The rest is in shares held in Saccos and at a local bank.
Wafula is a pharmaceutical technologist who has worked in various hospitals and organisations in Kenya. She contested the Trans Nzoia Woman Representative seat on a Ford Kenya ticket in the recently held General Election in August, but lost to the incumbent Lilian Siyoi.
Age 53
The Cabinet Secretary nominee for Agriculture declared his wealth to be around Ksh1.2 billion. Linturi’s assets were mainly in real estate including homes and developed properties. He also has shares in multiple businesses.
The Agriculture CS nominee also had the highest anticipated income, of all the vetted CS nomineed. He told the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments that he was awaiting more than Ksh1 billion from the state - in the form of unpaid court awards and payments for unpaid contracts.
Linturi is a career politician, and has been in elective politics since 1997. He, however, won his first election in 2007 when he was elected Igembe Central MP.
He served as MP for two terms before being elected Meru Senator in 2017 where he served for one term. He unsuccessfully sought the Meru Governor’s seat in the August 2022 General Election.
Age 55
The Cabinet Secretary nominee for the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) declared that he was worth an average of Ksh645 million.
His assets mainly include real estate with two homes in Nairobi and Siaya. He also has a piece of land valued at Ksh200 million, an incomplete hotel worth Ksh80 million and a commercial-tree growing business worth Ksh120 million.
Owalo is a trained economist who served as a management consultant before joining politics. His most prominent political role was in 2013 when he served as head of then-Cord presidential candidate - Raila Odinga’s secretariat. In 2018, he vied for the Kibra parliamentary seat on Amani National Congress (ANC) ticket but lost to Imran Okoth of ODM.
Age 66
The Education Cabinet Secretary nominee placed his net worth at Ksh590 million. He told the Committee on Appointments that his wealth was in real estate including homes and commercial residential apartments in Nairobi, Kisii, Kajiado and Mombasa.
Machogu is a career civil servant who joined the provincial administration in 1979. He started out as a District Officer (DO) in Nyeri and served in various parts of the country. He was later promoted to a District Commissioner and served in various parts of the country including Northern Kenya, Western, Coast and Mt kenya.
He also worked in various ministries under the Public Service Commission (PSC). He joined politics in 2017 when he was elected Nyaribari Masaba MP.
Machogu served for one term and unsuccessfully sought the Kisii gubernatorial seat in the August 9, 20222, General Election - on a United Democratic Alliance ticket.
Age 46
The Cabinet Secretary nominee for Sports estimated his net worth to be Ksh435 million. His wealth was mainly in real estate including his homes in Nairobi and Budalangi.
He also owns a lakeside resort known as Che’s Bay next to his rural home, as well as another piece of land in Nairobi. His assets include shares in Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE)-listed companies.
Namwamba is a trained lawyer who practised law in Nairobi before joining politics in 2007 when he was elected Budalangi MP. The CS nominee also served as Sports Minister in the Grand Coalition government.
He was re-elected as Budalangi MP in 2013 and served as ODM Secretary for a short stint. He lost his parliamentary seat in 2017 - after which he was appointed to the position of Chief Administrative Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where he served before joining William Ruto’s presidential campaign in February 2022.
Age 56
The Cabinet Secretary nominee for East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development indicated her net worth as Ksh397 million. The assets were mainly in real estate including a home in Nairobi and in Nyahururu which she co-owns with her husband. She also owns three vehicles as part of her assets.
Miano is a corporate executive whose last assignment was the Managing Director of KenGen Limited. She trained as a lawyer and practised for a few years before joining the energy sector. Her first assignment was a legal officer but climbed up the corporate ladder until her nomination to the cabinet.
Age 51
The Cabinet Secretary nominee for Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development indicated that he was worth Ksh993 million. His assets were mainly in real estate including homes, rental apartments, and a farming business.
Chelugui is the first sitting Cabinet Secretary to face the Committee on Appointments as a nominee. He was the sole CS retained by President William Ruto from the Uhuru Kenyatta administration where he headed the Labour docket. In 2017, Chelugui declared his net worth as Ksh797 million. This would mean his wealth appreciated by Ksh196 million.
Age 52
The Cabinet Secretary nominee for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs estimated his net worth to be Ksh120 million. He told the Committee on Appointments that he owned a house, land investments, vehicles, and had bank deposits.
Mvurya was asked to explain why his net worth remained low despite being a two-term governor where he earned a total Ksh88.6 million after tax. The former Kwale Governor answered that he had loans whose repayments took up the majority of his salary.
The 52-year old worked for non-governmental organisations before joining politics in 2013. He served for two terms as Kwale Governor before his nomination to the Cabinet.
Age: 50
The Labour Cabinet Secretary nominee told the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments that her net worth stood at Ksh200 million. Her assets include a Ksh25 million home in Nairobi, a tea farm in Kericho, land in Kajiado, vehicles and deposits in Saccos.
Bore is a trained teacher who taught in various secondary schools for 20 years. She left the teaching career in 2012 to contest the Kericho Woman Representative seat but was unsuccessful.
She had a stint in various government organisations including the Bomet County Government and the Geothermal Development Company. In 2017, she successfully sought the Kericho Woman Representative seat where she served until her nomination to the Cabinet.
Age: Not disclosed
The nominee for the position of Secretary to the Cabinet declared her net worth as Ksh475 million. The majority of her wealth is in real estate with land and houses in Nairobi, Kilifi, Laikipia, and Johannesburg (South Africa). She also has shares in various companies.
“My financial net worth as disclosed is Ksh475.4 million and is comprised as follows; land and buildings at about Ksh380.4 million, shares, stocks and deposits at about Ksh89 million, agriculture in the form of large commercial farming of trees at about Ksh6 million and four motor vehicles, enjoined property valued at about Ksh3 to 4 million,” she declared.
Wanjau is a trained lawyer who has worked as a corporate executive for most of her career. Her most prominent role was at the Communications Authority where she served as Legal Services Director.
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