Kigame: Ruto has failed by appointing unqualified people in key ministries
By Nancy Marende, July 28, 2025Deputy party leader of the Justice and Freedom Party (JFP) and former presidential aspirant Rueben Kigame has criticised President William Ruto for appointing individuals without relevant qualifications to head critical government ministries.
Speaking at a local TV station on Monday, July 28, 2025, Kigame argued that many of Kenya’s current challenges stem from poor leadership decisions, particularly in how the president has constituted his Cabinet.
“One of the failures of President Ruto is his inability to appoint the right people in the right place, for example, a cabinet secretary for health ought to be someone who has a background in medicine. A cabinet secretary for education ought to be a teacher,” he stated.
Furthermore, he stated that placing professionals with experience and understanding of their fields would lead to more effective governance and service delivery.
He added that placing professionals with experience and understanding of their fields would lead to more effective governance and service delivery.
“That is the type of government that I tend to run if Kenyans give me a chance.”
Kigame emphasised the urgent need for Kenyans to shift away from personality-driven politics and begin evaluating leaders based on their performance and integrity.
“We must choose leadership based on scoreboard/track record. We must look at what they have done in leadership and what they have not done but ought to have done,” he stated.
He cautioned that many legacy politicians excel in public relations but fall short on substance and ethics when scrutinised closely.
“A lot of legacy politicians pose in public as ‘ethical,’ but in private, they’re not ethical. By following the track records of politicians seeking to lead Kenya, then we as Kenyans can’t be duped,” he added.
Kigame’s PhD
His remarks come a few weeks after he graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Africa International University.
Speaking during his homecoming celebration on Monday, July 14, in Vihiga, Kigame shared the focus of his doctoral research.
In an emotional address, Kigame used his academic success to spotlight the challenges faced by persons with disabilities in Kenya.
He passionately urged parents not to hide children with disabilities but instead to embrace their potential and support their right to education and dignity.
“If I had been hidden or denied the right to go to school, I wouldn’t be here today. I wouldn’t be running for president, researching, or teaching. Many children are locked away or left to beg on the streets. That is not their place,their place is in school, in offices, in leadership,” Kigame said.