The political space is very volatile; today you may be in the inner circle making decisions and controlling resources, but one wrong move could get you kicked out.
Ahead of the 2022 presidential election, President William Ruto assembled a team that helped him traverse the country campaigning, leading to his victory on 9 August 2022.
While Ruto was the head of the team, several leaders worked closely with him and were charged with the duty of leading campaigns in various regions of the country; some of these leaders ripped big when Ruto was elected president.
However, two years down the line, some have been kicked out and are languishing in the political cold. It is worth noting that politics is unpredictable and situations may change, but as of 9 November 2024, the four names below had yet to be reappointed:
Rigathi Gachagua
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Ahead of the 2022 election, Gachagua, while serving as Mathira Member of Parliament, was arguably the number one defender of William Ruto.
He appeared on television talk shows where he defended and campaigned for Ruto while criticising anyone who was against him.
He also traversed the country with Ruto and was a key figure during Kenya Kwanza campaigns in the Central Kenya region.
His contribution saw him named Ruto's running mate. They campaigned together and were, on 9 August 2024, jointly elected as president and deputy president.
When they assumed office, the two worked together closely and showcased what appeared to be a brotherhood, with President Ruto indicating that he would not mistreat his deputy.
However, their relationship appeared to deteriorate after two years, leading to Gachagua's impeachment. Of the 11 grounds presented at the Senate, Gachagua was found guilty on five grounds but absolved on six charges.
While President Ruto has not directly addressed what led to the fallout, Gachagua held a press conference where he expressed disbelief at how the events turned out.
"I am shocked by how vicious a man I helped to be president, believed in, and was persecuted when I supported could be so vicious against me," he said.
Unless overturned by a competent court of law, the impeachment means Gachagua cannot contest or hold a political office in the country.
Cleophas Malala
The former Kakamega Senator was a close ally of President Ruto ahead of the 2022 general election, especially after the Amani National Congress (ANC) party joined the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
Malala campaigned for President Ruto and traversed the country with him. He was one of the Kenya Kwanza point men in the Western region.
He contested the Kakamega gubernatorial seat on an ANC party ticket under the Kenya Kwanza coalition but lost to Fernandes Barasa of the ODM party.
In early 2023, the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party announced changes in its leadership, with Malala being named the party's Secretary General (SG).
In June 2023, he was approved alongside presidential advisors to attend Cabinet meetings and took an oath of secrecy.
"I did not take an oath of office; I took an oath of secrecy. The president needs wisdom and thought it wise that his advisors needed to be with him when he is deliberating on crucial matters of this country,'' Malala said, while dismissing claims that he'd been appointed a cabinet secretary.
Barely two years after assuming office, Malala was unceremoniously kicked out of office and replaced with East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Hassan Omar.
Reports indicate that the fallout could have been due to his close association with Gachagua and his remarks that appeared to question the president's leadership, especially after the formation of the broad-based government which incorporated leaders from the opposition.
Mithuka Linturi and Aisha Jumwa
Their case is different from the two above in the sense that their dismissal was not necessarily a result of fallout, but due to political factors.
Linturi and Jumwa were key figures in Ruto's 2022 presidential campaign. Jumwa was one of the ladies who stood with Ruto and spearheaded campaigns in Kilifi and the Coast region, while Linturi was part of the team that camped in the Central Kenya region.
In the 2022 general election, Jumwa and Linturi unsuccessfully contested the Kilifi and Meru gubernatorial positions, respectively.
However, both got soft landings when they were appointed to the Cabinet. Jumwa was handed the Public Service, Gender, and Affirmative Action docket, while Linturi was put in charge of the Agriculture ministry.
Jumwa's tenure was not rocked with any major issues. However, Linturi's term was faced with the fertiliser scandal that saw him face an impeachment motion, which he survived after a special parliamentary committee found that the grounds of the impeachment motion against him were not substantiated.
In July 2024, following protests and sharp criticism of the government by the youth popularly known as Gen Z, President Ruto sent home his entire cabinet.
Linturi and Jumwa were among those affected. As of 9 November 2024, they were yet to be reappointed.
