TIFA Poll: Linturi Scores Lowest as Kindiki Ranked Top Performer in Cabinet Ratings

The recent opinion poll conducted by TIFA Research offers a comprehensive assessment of the performance of various Cabinet Secretaries (CS) in Kenya.

The nationwide survey, involving 2,912 respondents from across the country, evaluates the ministers on parameters such as public trust, visibility, and effectiveness in communicating their ministry's activities. The Agriculture and Livestock CS Mithika Linturi emerges as the least performing minister garnering an overall rating of 25 percent and earning a Grade E, making him the sole CS to receive this lowest grade. In contrast, Interior Ministry CS Kithure Kindiki is identified as the most trusted and performance-oriented member of the Cabinet, securing an impressive overall rating of 68 per cent, corresponding to an average Grade B plain.

Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi closely follows with an overall rating of 59 per cent, equivalent to a C plus grade. Other high performers included Ababu Namwamba, the CS for Youth, Sports and the Arts, Eliud Owalo, the CS for ICT and Digital Economy, and Adan Duale, the Defence CS. The bottom five Cabinet Secretaries based on performance are Davis Chirchir (Energy), Florence Bore (Labour and Social Protection), Rebecca Miano (Investment, Trade and Industry), and Zachary Njeru (Water, Sanitation and Irrigation), who was the second lowest-ranked CS.

Education CS Ezekiel Machogu is ranked sixth highest in the poll despite the recent disquiet in the education sector particularly with the last-minute directives on the postponement of the opening of schools. This indicates that his performance was viewed relatively positively by the respondents. The Parliament will today debate the potential impeachment of CS Linturi. The motion, initiated by Bumula MP Jack Wamboka and approved by Speaker Moses Wetangula on Tuesday, alleges serious misconduct related to the quality of government-supplied fertilizer distributed to farmers.

The controversy centres around the subsidized fertilizer distributed through National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots. If the motion garners sufficient support from legislators, Linturi would become the first Cabinet Secretary to be removed from office during President William Ruto's administration.