Survey reveals CSs yet to make foreign trips

By Peter Ochieng

Only two Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) in President William Ruto’s cabinet have not made any trips abroad, since being sworn in over a year ago.

They are CS for Interior and National Administration Professor Abraham Kithure Kindiki and his education counterpart Ezekiel Ombaki Machogu. This is according to results of a survey conducted by research firm, Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA).

According to the research, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi who doubles up as CS for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is the most travelled. Mudavadi leads with a record of 16 trips abroad.

Sports and Youth Affairs Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba is second, with 13 foreign trips. Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communication, and Digital Economy Eluid Owalo and his Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs counterpart Salim Mvurya, tied with 12 trips each.

Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mithika Linturi has made a total of 9 foreign trips, while Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Soipan Tuya, has made 7 trips abroad, followed by Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport, and Public Works Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen with a total of 6 trips abroad.

Cabinet Secretary for Health Susan Nakhumicha has travelled thrice, while Kindiki and Machogu are the only ones yet to travel to a foreign country.

Additionally, Kindiki has been ranked as the best-performing CS, scoring 65 percent in the poll conducted by TIFA between November 25 and December 7, 2023.

Mudavadi emerged second with a 62 percent score, while Machogu came in third at 58 percent. Health CS Susan Nakhumicha came in fourth with a 57 percent score, while Transport and Roads CS Kipchumba Murkomen closed the top five list.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir has been ranked the worst performing CS wit a score of 19 percent. This is perhaps due to public dissatisfaction caused by frequent nationwide blackouts and increase in the prices of fuel.

His Gender counterpart, Aisha Jumwa was the second worst performing CS with a 23 percent score, followed by Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung'u at 24 percent.