Moses Kuria: The poster child of political diarrhea

By Silas Apollo

Before he joined politics in 2007 from the private sector, few could recognize or even put a finger on Investments, Trade and Industry cabinet secretary Moses Kuria. 

Kuria, who had joined politics from a career in banking, first served as a spokesperson and the director of programs in the then Party of National Unity led by former President Mwai Kibaki.

He would later join hands with former President Uhuru Kenyatta to form The National Alliance Party just before the 2013 elections, through a relationship they had built and nurtured while they both worked for the late Kibaki.

But close to 15 years since his debut into elective politics and now in cabinet, the former Gatundu South MP has not only become a controversial figure – spewing hate and vitriol against foes and perceived political nemesis alike, but also a divisive one.

In his tenure as MP and now CS, Kuria has not been one to shy away from controversies and for making hateful remarks and utterances, much to the chagrin of his opponents and sometimes supporters.

Whether in public forums, during interviews and live debates on television and radio, or through his social media posts, Kuria’s political career has been marred by controversy.

Not only has he been divisive, but his antics have also led to his arrest and numerous court cases over hate crimes. Kuria has also caused a stir by walking out of media interviews, and insulting journalists and entire media houses.

Early this month, the Trade CS faced a backlash after he issued a warning to government officials, threatening them with a sack if they advertised with the Nation Media Group.

Kuria made the remarks in response to a story published by the Daily Nation implicating him in an oil scandal. He accused the media house of bias and for spreading what he termed as lies, propaganda, and unsubstantiated facts.

A month earlier, the CS was also in trouble after he made troubling tweets calling for a military intervention in Sudan. This move prompted swift government action to avert a possible diplomatic tiff.

Before that, the CS had also suggested that lifting the ban on genetically modified food was just an addition to the many ways to die in Kenya in response to criticism that lifting the GMO ban was a health hazard. 

But perhaps more controversial has been Kuria’s remarks and hate towards those opposed to his political view and stand, a move that has earned him enemies and friends alike.

In 2015, the 51-year-old caused a political stir when he incited youth in the area to arm themselves and fight against politicians opposed to the National Youth Service projects.

Before the 2017 election, Kuria had also been at the centre of the disappearance of the then IEBC IT manager, Chris Msando, who he claimed was in the company of another woman at the time of his disappearance. 

Msando’s body would later be discovered in Kikuyu Forest, with Kuria denying his involvement or his knowledge of the death of the IEBC official. 

While those supporting his divisive political statements have often argued that the remarks were meant to protect the interest of his supporters and community, his critics believe that the hatred was always about his political survival.

In June this year, Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna asked the Senate to pass a censor motion against the CS and strip him of his position in Cabinet following his tweets against the media.

Sifuna argued that Kuria had contravened various sections of the law through statements criticizing the media, including the freedom of the press. He also argued that the CS, known for his vitriol, had reached an unmatched level of infamy and was, therefore, unsuitable to hold any public office.

“CS Kuria, having established himself as a loose tongue of the government, may indeed be speaking the official position of the government,” Sifuna said before asking President William Ruto to relieve the CS of his duties. 

Pundits and critics now hold that one of the reasons why the CS continues to spew hate and yet survive could be tied to a number of reasons, including loopholes in laws regarding hate speech and the nature of our politics.

“Our politics has been known to depend mainly on hate. Politicians survive by pitting communities against each other. We also lack leadership accountability, which is why people like Kuria continue to hold public offices despite their character. 

“In terms of hate crimes and hate speech, the law has not been very clear on how some of these cases are supposed to be dealt with, and that is why you find bodies like NCIC unable to prove their cases in court,” said Prof Gitile Naituli, a political analyst and lecturer at Multi Media University.