Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku during his vetting as Public Service Cabinet Secretary on April 14, 2025.
Some Sh460,000 rent default, push for controversial legislative proposals designed to stifle civil liberties and divisive political pronouncements haunted Public Service Cabinet Secretary nominee Geoffrey Ruku as he faced MPs on Monday.
The Mbeere North MP was taken to task over his inexperience in public service as well as his knowledge of the docket he has been nominated to.
The 47-year-old also battled accusations of being highly partisan while serving as a lawmaker while also supporting the introduction of a controversial motor vehicle tax.
The Committee on Appointments chaired by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula pushed to know how such perceptions will affect his discharge of duty should he be approved for appointment.
The vetting process began with shadows of a fallout between the first term legislator and his former landlord looming large.
President William Ruto chats with the newly appointed Public Service CS Geoffrey Ruku at Runyenjes town in Embu County on April 4, 2025 during his fourth day of Mt Kenya development tour.
The nominee faced accusations of issues of integrity including financial irresponsibility, fraudulent conduct, disregard for legal proceedings and outright dishonesty when the committee was told how Mr Ruku defaulted on payment of rent, water and other utilities as well as caused substantial damage to a Nairobi property he was renting.
“The nominee defaulted in rent payment amounting to Sh460,000 seeking more time to pay saying the mother had passed on in June 2021 when actually his mother came to pass later on in October 2021,” read the petition.
“The petitioner has suffered loss of over Sh1 million arising out of Ruku’s conduct and we urge the committee to consider the ongoing legal dispute as unsuitability of the candidate for the position he has been nominated for,” the petition added.
Taking the cue, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah pressed the nominee to come clean whether he has defrauded anybody be it on rent or any other matter.
“I have not defaulted or defrauded anybody on matters of rent or anything concerning private business or engagements. There are people who may want to defraud you because of your title and now they come up with all manner of claims,” said Mr Ruku.
The Kikuyu MP further pushed the MP over his inexperience in public office asking him whether he is ready for a Cabinet position having only served as MP for two and half years.
“Such people become arrogant, overbearing and holding MPs with contempt. Are we likely to see such behaviours and hubris we have seen before from you should you be approved?” asked Mr IChung’wah.
Mbeere North Member of Parliament Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku addressing the media at Parliament buildings, Nairobi, on January 31, 2024.
Saboti MP Caleb Amisi went on to push the nominee whether he has the needed emotional intelligence to hold such a high office.
“We have seen some officers release information after leaving office, treating us to the theatrics. Are you emotionally intelligent enough not to treat us to another episode of Justin Muturi theatrics?” said Mr Amisi.
The MP delved on some of the controversial Bills sponsored by the nominee including Assembly and Demonstration Bill, 2024 and an amendment to the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act.
“Your bills look like they were out of emotions because the demonstrations were not favourable to the side you supported. This paints you as a person without emotional intelligence,” he said.
Legislative proposals
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed pinned the nominee over the legislative proposals, accusing him of trying to curtail the freedoms of Kenyans to peacefully demonstrate as enshrined in the Constitution using Parliament.
“Your mind frame as MP was one that pushed for limitation of Constitutional rights. Would you be willing to have a clear paradigm shift from what has been evident in Parliament to have a clearer fidelity to the Constitution where focus on rights much more,” said Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo.
However, Mr Ruku said the Bill was meant to protect the rights of other persons who might not participate in the assembly, demonstrations or picketing as well as to safeguard against loss of lives and properties.
“I was seeking to ensure we conduct demonstrations without losing lives or causing damages to properties as such demonstrations were not foreseen in the Constitution,” said the nominee.
But Kathiani MP Robert Mbui hit back informing the nominee that most of the lost lives were caused by police bullets and not the demonstrators.
Pokot South MP David Pkosing hard-pressed the nominee, saying his proposed controversial amendments painted him as a person keen on promoting corruption and anti-accountability, making him unfit to hold the office he has been nominated for.
However, Mr Ruku assured the committee that he will abide by the Constitution while discharging his mandate as a minister should he be approved.
“I will subject myself to the values and principles of public service knowing that I am not partisan to any affiliations but only taking the interest of the people of Kenya,” said Mr Ruku.
The Siakago Boys High School alumnus, who has a net worth Sh377 million, said he intends to tackle issues of bloated wage bill in the public service, unmotivated civil servants and ghost workers in the service as well as weed out corruption in the public service.
“I will push for a unified digital government service, hire on a need-to-be basis and contract for services and not pay civil servants who don’t clock eight hours.”
At the same time, Hannah Cheptumo also faced the vetting committee assessing her suitability for appointment as Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage minister.
She told the panel that she has had more than 14 years of experience in the public service working in the ministry for Cooperatives.
“I believe I am qualified and I will embrace teamwork should I be approved and appointed. I will push for gender mainstreaming, uplift the welfare of artists and also fight to eradicate any form of gender-based violence,” said Ms Cheptumo.
