Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has declared his net worth at Ksh500 million.
Appearing before the departmental committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations on Friday, January 10, 2025, Ababu explained that his wealth is comprised of his two residences (in Nairobi and Busia), business interests, shareholdings and his pension.
Ababu made the revelation while facing the committee to defend his suitability following his nomination by President William Ruto to serve as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi.
“The requirement to state by net worth has been indicated there and has been calculated from my two residences in Nairobi and Busia County, my business interest, my shareholdings and my pension. That has been compounded to come to a total net worth of Ksh500 million and should there be a need for any additional information, that information is available and I would furnish the committee with the same,” Ababu Namwamba stated.
He however promised to give a breakdown of his wealth including his emoluments when he served as Sports Cabinet Secretary and the amount of money he receives as a pension.
“For avoidance of doubt, I perhaps expected the committee to take judicial notice that the emoluments for a Cabinet Secretary is public knowledge so is the emolument for parliamentary pension but I will provide the details as directed by the chair,” Ababu added.
Increase from Ksh425 million
In October 2022 when he faced the vetting panel to defend his suitability for his former role as Sports Cabinet Secretary, Ababu placed his net worth at Ksh425 million.
“The spread of that net worth includes my residence here in the city of Nairobi, my country residence back in Busia County, a business titled Chess Bay, two land holdings, shareholdings in Safaricom, the Cooperative Bank and Kenya Power,” he stated then.
Namwamba added that his pension was also part of his net worth, two vehicles including a Range Rover and a Jeep, and two water vessels.
According to his latest declaration, Ababu’s wealth has increased significantly by Ksh75 million within two years.
Nonetheless, Ababu built a strong case on why he was the best candidate to represent Kenya at the UNEP. He cited his professional and academic experience as among the stand-out qualities that would catapult him to prosperity if approved by the House.
He made reference to Martin Luther King’s speech A Street Sweeper where he emphasised that people should take pride in their work, no matter what it is.
“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry,” Ababu quoted the speech insisting that his nomination for the UNEP job is not a demotion but rather a reassignment.
“It is a critical diplomatic station, absolutely critical. Today, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is seized of the most critical agenda to address what is an existential threat to humanity.
“Would I consider being handed an assignment to represent Kenya in that space a demotion? No, I would consider it a re-assignment. I believe I am almost tailor-made for this position given my learning, intellectual capacity, my experience, my exposure, my globalness and I believe that this is a role that I would execute very well without requiring any extra motivation,” Ababu Namwamba said.
