The powerful Ministry of Interior has for the past month been without a substantive Cabinet Secretary following the nomination and subsequent approval of Kithure Kindiki to the position of Deputy President.
However, corridors of power and local political talks have been ripe with information and speculations on who will be nominated by President William Ruto to take over the powerful position.
Kenyans.co.ke, in this article, has compiled the list of possible nominees who could be considered for the position by the President.
Joseph Boinnet
Boinnet currently holds the position of Deputy National Security Advisor in the Office of the President, serving as a senior security advisor. His extensive experience in Kenya's security landscape likely makes him a strong candidate for consideration. His name has been floated around in the security circles.
He is a former Inspector General of the National Police Service of the Republic of Kenya, having served between 2015 and 2019. Before his appointment, he served in the Kenyan National Intelligence Service(NIS).
Aden Duale
Duale currently serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and has been viewed as among those assumed to be close to the President making him among top contenders for the powerful position.
His appointment would, however, be likely met with mixed opinions after he served as the CS for Defence from 2022 to 2024 before his appointment was revoked following the dismissal of the entire Cabinet in July this year. Duale was, however, later reappointed to the Ministry of Environment in what some political observers termed as a ‘demotion.’
Raymond Omolo
Omolo currently serves as the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Interior and many have been taunting him to be among the possible nominees who could make it to the President's list of preferred candidates over from Kindiki.
Proponents of the PS view him as an experienced option and is already running the docket, having served since 2022. He is assisting Musalia Mudavadi who is holding the CS office in an acting capacity.
The broad-based government approach might also likely play to his advantage as the President seems to be keen on onboarding more leaders from Raila Odinga’s political home turf into the government.
Kipchumba Murkomen and Davis Chirchir
Some political corridors have been postulating that one of the two current CSs would be considered for the role, mainly due to their close working ties with Ruto.
Embakasi Central Member of Parliament Benjamin Gathiru on Sunday alleged that he had reliable information indicating that there was an inside plot to award either Murkomen or Chirchir with the Interior CS position.
''Those two ministers who were in the Energy and Transport dockets, they are the ones who signed with Adani saying that the company was good and therefore could be sold for the airport. Today, I have information that one of them is lined up for the Ministry of Interior job,’’ Gathiru revealed.
Murkomen currently serves as the CS for Sports while his counterpart Chirchir serves in the Transport Ministry. Chirchir is among some of the experienced CSs in the current administration having served in the previous administration as a CS.
Mutahi Kagwe
The return of the former Cabinet Secretary in Uhuru's Cabinet seems to be more imminent than before with elders from the Kikuyu Community having gathered on Friday, November 22, in Nyeri and unanimously expressed support for former Health Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe's inclusion in President William Ruto's government.
Noting the absence of a Cabinet minister from the region, the elders emphasised the importance of representation of Nyeri in the Kenya Kwanza administration and urged Kagwe to accept a proposed Cabinet position in the government.
The elders asked Ruto to consider Kagwe for the CS position in the Ministry of Interior. However, sources indicate that should he make a comeback, then maybe he could likely be on a different docket.
Kagwe is one of the experienced leaders in the public service having served as a member of the Cabinet in the governments of Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta.
Junet Mohammed
Following the inclusion of key allies from the Opposition into the broad-based government, Junet was one of the senior figures at Orange Democratic Movement(ODM) who were left out of the Cabinet appointments and was awarded a Parliamentary role of the leader of the minority instead.
However, key figures within the ODM party are reportedly pushing behind the scenes to have an Interior CS from the Luo Nyanza.
“Let all communities in Kenya receive their rightful constitutional share of public service appointments. The position of Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of the National Government should go to a Luo. Luos are the greatest defenders of human rights and fundamental freedoms,” Peter Kaluma an ODM MP stated.
Junet, however, dismissed the links to the Interior docket insisting that he had no focus on the role at the moment.
Kimani Ichung’wah
The Interior Ministry is one of the senior ministerial dockets in the country. The President will definitely be looking at awarding the role to at least one of his most trusted allies. The holder of the office has unfettered access to the President round the clock and sits in the powerful National Security Council which superintends over the country's security matters.
Ichung’wah is considered one of the closest allies of President Ruto, a trust that earned him a position as the leader of the Majority in the National Assembly.
The lawmaker, however, disputed the links to the position of the CS in the Interior docket insisting that he was solely focused on his job in the National Assembly.
Kanini Kega
Kega is one of the least expected nominees to feature in the list even though sources indicate that he is also being rumoured to be among those in the list for a possible stint at the Harambee-based office. Analysts report however that in ensuring regional balance, the President could consider a nominee from his Nyeri home turf, with Rigathi Gachagua having been shoved out of the Cabinet and Presidency.
Additionally, sources indicate that some politicians have been pushing for a former police chief including former Deputy Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow and Trans Nzoia Governor Goerge Natembeya to be considered for the role.
The next Interior Cabinet Secretary will need to skillfully navigate a complex landscape of security, governance, and public trust, building on the strong foundation established by Kindiki.
Currently, the Ministry has been placed under the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who has been serving in an acting capacity as the President sifts through his choices to see who will be taking over the reigns at the docket.
