Gusii leaders are calling for a larger share of government appointments in President William Ruto’s inclusive government amid growing concerns that the Gusii community is being overlooked.
On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, a group of Nyamira leaders, led by Mugirango West Member of Parliament (MP) Stephen Mogaka, urged President Ruto to consider appointing them to high-ranking positions such as cabinet secretaries and principal secretaries.
“Cabinet secretary positions and principal secretary positions are all we want. Any other roles would be merely bonuses,” Mogaka stated.
The Nyamira MP stressed that the Gusii community is divided across Nyamira and Kisii counties and urged the president to consider leaders from both regions when making appointments.
“I plead with the president, as you reorganize your government, please remember that there are Kisiis, and we are represented in two groups: those from Nyamira County and those from Kisii County,” Mogaka added.
Mogaka’s call for significant appointments was supported by Nyamira County youth leaders, who criticized President Ruto’s recent appointments, labeling them “peanut positions.”
“We want cabinet secretaries, principal secretaries, not chairmen of boards. We want our people to sit at the national table,” said Duke Ombagi, one of the youth leaders.
The youth argued that their region has been sidelined in government appointments, often receiving the smallest share of government resources.
The leaders’ statements echo those of Nyaribari Masaba MP Daniel Manduku, who recently accused Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga of neglecting the Gusii community, despite its years of consistent political support.
Speaking on January 20, 2025, Manduku expressed dissatisfaction with ODM’s failure to deliver tangible benefits to the Gusii region. He pointed out the lack of significant political appointments as one of the key reasons for the growing discontent.
“Where I come from in Kisii, we have an issue with the party. Raila Odinga gave all the party positions to his Luo tribesmen. We Kisiis have gotten nothing from Odinga. We are not happy with the party,” Manduku remarked.
In a related development on January 20, 2025, Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka announced that the Abagusii community will back Fred Matiang’i in his presidential bid for the 2027 general election, suggesting the potential formation of a new political party.
Onyonka described the endorsement of former Interior CS Matiang’i as a critical step toward empowering the Gusii community to play a more active role in shaping its political future.
“The 2010 Constitution liberated us from non-democratic actions, curtailing us from making independent choices. We now seek to form our own party that will advance our political interests at the national level,” Onyonka said.
The Kisii senator emphasized that the community’s political aspirations should align with the democratic values enshrined in the Constitution, ensuring the Gusii people have a voice at the national political table.
