Kuria, Kindiki barred from State House meeting for lateness

Head of State demands written explanation for late-show officers as DP issues ultimatum.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure and his Trade counterpart Moses Kuria were locked out of the performance contract signing event after being locked out of State House for turning up late.

President Ruto asked members of the Executive who arrived late at the Cabinet Appraisal meeting to submit written explanations, and they should not indicate traffic matters as an excuse for their lateness.

“I will be expecting a written explanation detailing why you came late, and don’t include traffic unless you are not serious with your work and tired,” President Ruto said.

Among those who were also locked out from the event presided over by President Ruto were Principal Secretaries, who also arrived late for the event.

According to an official programme released by State House Press Secretary Emmanuel Talam, the event was to begin at precisely 8 am on Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua pointed out that some Cabinet members are never punctual, terming their actions as disrespectful and not obeying presidential orders.

“This is a sad day. I don’t understand why a Cabinet Secretary would arrive late for a function being presided over by the Head of State. What we have witnessed today must come to an end. It doesn’t matter whether the President was your friend during political campaigns,” DP Gachagua said.

DP Gachagua further revealed that this was not the first time members of the Executive were not keeping time, and he pointed to an incident where the President got angry since he could not hold a Cabinet meeting due to absenteeism by more than seven Cabinet Secretaries.

“You do not have to honour every invitation to travel out of the country. You have yourselves to blame because you forced the President to place a cap on your foreign travels. Some Cabinet Secretaries even change clothes at the airport, from where they immediately hop on another flight to travel to another country. Ladies and Gentlemen, we can’t work like that,” the DP said.