President William Ruto held intense discussions with his team before unveiling his cabinet on Tuesday, September 27, according to Uasin Gishu woman representative Gladys Shollei.
Speaking on Citizen TV's Daybreak show on Friday, September 30, Shollei asserted that Ruto consulted his team on proposed names for various dockets adding that the negotiations began way before the elections.
No one in Ruto's circles knew of those who had made the final cut given the secrecy of the process.
Further, she divulged that some of the allies had proposed names of the elected leaders who they deemed fit to hold the offices, proposals the President heeded.
Despite some of the elected leaders being fronted as CSs, Shollei recounted that Ruto decided to let the candidates run for elective seats as a precaution.
"The negotiations for who would become CS were not confirmed until the announcement was made. Someone could not be told not to run because they were guaranteed the position.
"It was negotiations until the last minute so no one could be stopped from running though they were on the radar as candidates," she stated.
The current National Assembly deputy speaker explained that move saw them implement a strategy that guaranteed them a win in the August 9 polls.
"Strategically, there are people you want out there first to help you campaign so that you win the presidency before you appoint ministers.
"Someone like Alice Wahome - many of us always supported the fact that she should become a CS but we could not get her off the campaign trail. We needed them as a candidate to deliver the vote, which she did for Kenya Kwanza. Sometimes you have to look at where you want to get first," she stated.
Some of the parliamentarians picked as cabinet nominees included Kandara MP Alice Wahome (Water), Elgeyo Marakwet senator Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads), Garissa Township MP Aden Duale (Defence) and Nominated Senator Soipan Tuya (Environment).
Additionally, Shollei came to the defence of Ruto after he was criticised for choosing leaders who were still facing active court cases insisting that none of the leaders had been found guilty.
The former judiciary registrar added that the nominees were picked because they resonated well with the policies of the head of state, in particular, the bottom-up approach.
"Every Kenyan is innocent until proven guilty and you are innocent until you have exhausted all appeals right up to the Supreme Court," she stated.
