Editor's Review

"Do you see me as someone who can be a bystander who just sits there and takes instructions?"

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has downplayed suggestions of a power struggle within President William Ruto’s economic advisory team, stating that he is the official advisor to the President on financial matters, not economist David Ndii.

In an interview on Wednesday, March 19, Mbadi stated that while the President is entitled to seek counsel from various individuals, he remains the primary advisor on fiscal issues.

“There is no problem with the President having many advisors but the official advisor on matters of finance in this country, to the President, is me. Do you see me as someone who can be a bystander who just sits there and takes instructions?" He posed.

Ndii serves as the Chairperson of the President's Council of Economic Advisors (CEA) in the Kenya Kwanza government under Ruto. 

Appointed following Ruto's victory in the 2022 presidential election, his primary responsibility is to provide expert guidance on economic policy.

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President Ruto with Treasury CS John Mbadi 

Ndii informs policy, offering insights and recommendations to address economic challenges, such as public debt, cost of living and institutional reforms.

Beyond his formal role, Ndii has emerged as an outspoken figure, often using platforms to defend the administration’s approach. 

For instance, on Tuesday, March 4, Ndii revealed that the government does not own nor control the Social Health Authority (SHA) system following claims that the government had spent Ksh104.8 billion on it.

He addressed public concerns over the cost and ownership of the system, stating that the Ksh104 billion associated with the platform is not government expenditure but user fees spread over a ten-year contract period.

"The UHC digital platform is fully outsourced. GoK has not spent one Ksh on it. Ksh104 billion is user fees payable over a 10-year contract period,” he wrote on X.

He defended the UHC platform’s cost-effectiveness, explaining that it will provide a similar service at approximately Ksh10 billion per year, translating to around Ksh50 per hospital visit.