Is there a Cabinet Secretary in the current administration that the media can genuinely describe as powerful?
In previous governments, names like George Magoha, Fred Matiang’i, and John Michuki easily stood out. Going further back, during Daniel arap Moi’s era, influential ministers were a hallmark of governance.
Today, the situation feels different.
Someone joked that if the Water Cabinet Secretary, Eric Muuga, boarded a Citi Hoppa bus from Kencom to Kawangware, he would go completely unnoticed. The same was said about my “senge” (aunt) and neighbor back in Kitale, Deborah Barasa. If she walked into Marikiti market to buy nduma, no one would recognize her as a Cabinet Secretary.
This may sound humorous, but it indicates a significant transformation.
Many of today’s CSs appear less visible, less dominant, and less individually influential compared to their predecessors.
So the question remains: Do we still have “powerful” Cabinet Secretaries or has that power quietly shifted elsewhere?
For decades, Kenya’s political landscape was characterized not just by the President, but by a select group of Cabinet ministers whose authority shaped government policy, public discourse, and even the national mood.
Names like George Magoha, Fred Matiang’i, and John Michuki stood out as firm, visible, and often commanding figures within government.
Their presence was unmistakable, both in the corridors of power and in the public eye.
Looking further back to Daniel arap Moi’s era, powerful ministers were not just influential; they were central pillars of the state.
However, in today’s administration under William Ruto, this dynamic appears to have shifted.
No single Cabinet Secretary consistently dominates headlines or commands the level of public authority once associated with the office. Instead, many CSs operate with a noticeably lower profile, raising questions about where real executive power now resides.
A lighthearted but revealing joke circulating captures this perception: that a senior Cabinet Secretary could be pursued down Moi Avenue street by city council enforcement officers simply because they are not immediately recognizable.
While humorous, these remarks reflect a deeper public sentiment that today’s Cabinet Secretaries are less visible, less individually influential, and less central to the projection of state power.
Analysts I consulted point to a more centralized executive structure, where authority is increasingly concentrated at the presidency, leaving CSs to perform more administrative and implementation roles rather than acting as dominant political figures.
The contrast is clear.
Previous governments featured towering ministerial personalities who defined sectors and commanded national attention, while the current Cabinet presents a more subdued, collective front.
The question remains:
Has Kenya moved beyond the era of the “powerful” Cabinet Secretary or has that power simply transformed, becoming less visible but no less significant?