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Seasoned politicians and scholars formerly allied to Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga are tipped to join the Kenya Kwanza government as Chief Administrative Secretary after they were shortlisted for interviews.

The Public Service Commission has shortlisted 224 candidates for consideration after the court allowed the hiring to go ahead, quashing a case filed by the Law Society of Kenya and finding that the government conducted public participation as required by law.

Among those in the running are political bigwigs, some of who have either fallen out with the Azimio leader or who do not subscribe to his brand of politics.

Should they be successful, they will form part of President William Ruto’s strategy to reduce Raila’s political influence at a time when he has been holding weekly rallies to pile pressure on the government over a raft of demands.

Key among the demands are the high cost of living, widening of the tax bracket and the process of selecting new electoral commissioners.

Raila’s former allies-turned-foes who are in the running for the CAS positions include former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero, former Kisii governor James Ongwae and Fred Outa, who served as Kisumu Senator in the last term.

Kidero is among politicians who defied the Raila wave in Nyanza and ran for the Homa Bay governorship as an independent after ODM party settled on Gladys Wanga as its candidate.

He lost to Wanga in the General Election but challenged the outcome. The petition is yet to be concluded after the court ordered a recount of votes in some polling stations.

Outa did not seek re-election.

From Siaya, one of Raila’s political strongholds, former governor aspirant Nicholas Gumbo has been shortlisted for the State job that is a rank lower than that of Cabinet Secretary. Gumbo unsuccessfully contested for the Siaya governor seat against James Orengo.

From Kisii County, Ongwae was among top politicians from the greater Nyanza who jumped ship after Ruto was declared winner of the August 2022 presidential election.

One per cent

Sources told People Daily yesterday that some of the shortlisted candidates who ditched Raila had already been promised the jobs, increasing their chances of joining the Kenya Kwanza administration.

From Migori, former nominated MP Dennitah Ghati, a strong ODM voice and Raila ally, has also been shortlisted alongside Fred Opiyo Jonyo. Ghati, who uses a wheelchair, is listed as a potential candidate to represent people living with disability.

Their shortlisting comes at a time when Ruto allies from Nyanza have been laying strategies to reduce Raila’s influence in the region that has voted for him overwhelmingly in the last five elections.

When he visited the area late last year, President Ruto said that whereas Raila had received a sizeable number of votes in regions considered his strongholds, Nyanza had given him about one per cent, a trend he asked voters there to change.

The President is expected to name the successful candidates once the Public Service Commission interviews the candidates and clears those who qualify. Interviews begin on March 1.

The position of CAS was introduced by Ruto’s predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta although courts later ruled that the appointments were irregular. Despite the ruling, the appointees served their full term.

Some ministries, such as the National Treasury, had more than one CAS, meaning that if he continues with the trend set by his predecessor, President Ruto can appoint more than 22 CASs.

Currently, only Eliud Owalo, the ICT Cabinet Secretary, and his Education counterpart, Ezekiel Machogu, both from Nyanza, fly ministerial flags.

Adding CASs to the list of top-level State appointments could be used in future to woo more support for Ruto and his administration from a region that has been opposition leaning for over two decades.

Besides the big political names, others shortlisted from the region include former Principal Secretaries Julius Juan and Colleta Suda; former journalist Lindah Ogutu, Moses Oburu, Joyce Ndeda, Julius Yiega and Pamella Ochieng.

Separately, at least eight former governors had applied for consideration and were shortlisted. They are Kidero, Ongwae, John Mruttu (Taita Taveta), Hussein Dado (Tana River), Samuel Tunai (Narok), Moses Lenolkulal (Samburu), Patrick Khaemba (Trans Nzoia) and Samuel Ragwa (Tharaka Nithi).

Unsuccessful candidates in last year’s election such as Margaret Wanjiru (Nairobi senate) and Wangui Ngirichi (Kirinyaga governor) have also been shortlisted.

Footballer Macdonald Mariga, who once unsuccessfully vied for the Kibra parliamentary seat has also been nominated, as has former journalist and blogger Dennis Itumbi.

Mwanaisha Chidzuga, also a journalist, has made it to the shortlist that also includes notable names like former Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion and former MPs Simon Mbugua and Isaac Mwaura.