Devolution Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter has become the first member of President Uhuru Kenyatta's Cabinet to endorse Deputy President William Ruto.
Speaking in Kericho on Monday, January 10, the CS noted that he would support Ruto's quest to succeed President Kenyatta in the upcoming 2022 General Election.
Keter referred to the DP as the fifth President of Kenya during the address to much public cheer.
He further assured that he had been close to the DP since 2006 and he was prepared to support him all the way to the State House.
"I take this opportunity to welcome to join you in welcoming our fifth President William Ruto. I thank you you for everything. I have been with the DP from 2006 and I will stay with him till he becomes the president," he stated.
This comes just weeks after Ruto allies decried a move by certain Cabinet Secretaries who chose to endorse former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's interest in occupying the house on the hill.
The CSs included Fred Matiang'i of the Interior Ministry, his counterpart in the ICT Ministry Joe Mucheru and Agriculture CS Peter Munya.
In October, UDA wrote to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chairman Wafula Chebukati, demanding that he warns CSs from campaigning for presidential aspirants.
The letter authored by UDA secretary General, Veronica Maina, indicated that the Supreme Court, in the 2017 presidential election petition, held that elections are not an event, but a process beginning with the preparation to the declaration of results and CSs should not be part of that process.
Maina stated that when CSs openly declare their support for Mr Odinga, it is interference with the electoral process and called for the resignation of Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i and ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru.
The CSs, however, argued that the Constitution had not barred them from participating in the electoral process.
National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi also defended Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries from attacks by politicians.
Muturi stated that people dealing with policies and development programs in the government should be given the space they need to execute their mandate.
He stated that their role is to enlighten the public on matters of the government, and being attacked by politicians make them lack the space and freedom to effectively do their job.
