NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 7 — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has emerged as the most travelled member of President William Ruto’s Cabinet in a new report released on Wednesday.
The report by Trends and Insights For Africa (TIFA) documented 192 local trips, across 41 counties, out of 2,741 activities assessed in 2023.
In coming up with the findings, the pollster reviewed news reports and social media updates by Cabinet Secretaries between January to December 2023.
TIFA ranked Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore in second place with 183 local trips traversing thirty-six counties.
The firm noted the nature and scope of their ministerial portfolios informed engagements by various Cabinet Secretaries.
“This variation in activity levels among these individuals indicates diverse approaches and priorities within their respective roles,” the pollster explained.
Kindiki’s 2023 travel featured no foreign travel according to data compiled by TIFA
“There [is] no documented evidence of foreign trips linked to the roles of Kithure Kindiki (Interior) and Ezekiel Machogu (Education) in 2023,” TIFA stated.
The study reported the highest number of travel among Cabinet Secretaries in the third and fourth quarter of the year at 742 and 858 respectively.
TIFA reported 541 and 600 trips respectively in the first and second quarters.
Most foreign trips
Wildlife and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua recorded the highest number of foreign engagements at 28 per cent with TIFA attributing the trend to his role as Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary at the time.
“Given the international nature of his ministerial portfolios, extensive travel is an inherent expectation,” the pollster remarked.
TIFA listed Public Service Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria in second place at 16 per cent.
Mining Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya (14 per cent), Treasury’s Njuguna Ndung’u (13 per cent) and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi (12 per cent) featured in the Top Five chart.
Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, Aisha Jumwa (Gender) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads) recorded the least number of foreign trips at 2 per cent.
TIFA listed Bore (115), Jumwa (100), Water CS Zacharia Njeru (90), Energy’s Davis Chirchir (77), and Treasury’s Ndung’u (70) among Cabinet Secretaries with the highest number of activities in Nairobi.
Kindiki (118), Nakhumicha (98), Mudavadi (78), Njeru (75) and Mvurya (79) registered the highest number of engagements outside Nairobi.
The survey also assessed visits by Cabinet Secretaries to home counties listing Mvurya and his Agriculture counterpart Mithika Linturi as the most travelled to the home counties at 22 and 19 per cent respectively.
CS Njeru’s home county activities accounted for 16 per cent of his official trips.
Machogu and ICT’s Eliud Owalo had 13 per cent of all local trips in their respective home counties.
