Khalwale: Ruto had promised me cabinet slot but shortchanged me
By Mabonga Makhanu, March 26, 2026Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has claimed that President William Ruto failed to honour a political promise made to him ahead of the 2022 General Election.
Speaking during an interview with a vernacular radio station on Thursday, March 26, 2026, Khalwale said he was asked to step down from the Kakamega gubernatorial race in favour of Cleophas Malala and was subsequently offered a choice between serving as a Cabinet Secretary or taking up the Speaker position, opting for the former.
He stated that Ruto assured him he would be appointed Health Cabinet Secretary once ministers were named, but was later “shortchanged”.
“After asking me to step down from the Kakamega gubernatorial race in favour of Malala, Ruto asked me to choose between a Cabinet Secretary position and the Speaker role. I chose to be a CS, and he told me that when he appointed his ministers, I would be the health cabinet secretary. However, he later shortchanged me,” Khalwale stated.
He added that just like the time Moses Wetang’ula was defending his seat, Ruto equally urged him to vie for the senatorial seat, but at the right time, when he would be naming his cabinet, he and Wetang’ula could have resigned from their roles and joined the government with him as health cabinet secretary and Wetang’ula as speaker.
Majority whip position
Khalwale says he then approached the then deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua, and requested to be considered for Senate leadership, specifically the position of Senate Majority Leader.
Gachagua agreed, but when the Senate leadership was finally announced, the position was handed to Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, whom Khalwale considers a junior in Parliament, having served for over 12 years before Cheruiyot’s entry.
“I told the deputy president, duly elected; I told him that now the president has named a cabinet, let me take leadership in the Senate.” He said yes. “Then the president named a young guy who came into parliament in the 12th year when I had already served 12 years in parliament.”
As a consolation, Khalwale was given the majority whip position, which he says he took up with dedication and vowed to become one of the most effective whips the Senate has ever had.