President William Ruto Suspends Appointment of 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs)

President William Ruto has halted the appointment of Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs) as part of immediate measures to align with the new Budget.

In a press conference at State House, Nairobi, Ruto emphasized his administration’s dedication to adjusting government spending in response to the Finance Bill, 2024, being withdrawn.

“The consequence of withdrawing the Finance Bill is a reduction of our revenue targets by Sh346 billion,” the President stated.

Ruto mentioned that the National Treasury is evaluating the impact of either slashing the budget by Sh346 billion or borrowing the same amount.

“Cutting the entire amount would significantly and drastically affect the delivery of critical government services, while borrowing would increase our fiscal deficit by a margin that would have significant repercussions on many other sectors, including interest rates and exchange rates,” he explained.

Ruto had nominated 50 CASs to enhance service delivery and policy implementation, a decision that received mixed reactions.

While some praised the move for potentially improving efficiency and inclusivity, others criticized it as an unnecessary expenditure of public funds.

The duties of CASs include addressing issues related to their assigned portfolios, liaising with the National Assembly and Senate, coordinating with county governments on shared mandates, facilitating inter-ministerial coordination, and representing the Cabinet Secretary in meetings as directed.

However, a three-judge bench consisting of Justices Hedwig Ong’udi, Kanyi Kimondo, and Aleem Visram ruled that the establishment of the CAS office did not comply with legal requirements.