Kenyan embattled President William Ruto, criticised at home for overseeing an arrogant and incompetent cabinet, announced the sacking of his ministers, including his chief legal advisor, in a televised address on Thursday.

Among those shown the door was longtime ally Kipchumba Murkomen, who served as Transport Minister since September 2022.

Murkomen faced accusations of arrogance and excessive opulence, with no major infrastructure projects to show nearly two years into his tenure.

Before his dismissal, Murkomen shocked and choked many Kenyans by revealing his luxury possessions: a Sh900,000 watch, a belt costing Sh40,000-50,000, shoes worth Sh70,000-80,000, and a tie priced at Sh20,000.

He tried to downplay his wealth, suggesting one belt could be worn on both sides to appear as two. Kenyans expressed outrage on X, accusing cabinet members of living lavishly while the majority struggle economically.

This disclosure comes as many Kenyans find it hard to afford basic necessities, highlighting the political class’s perceived opulence.

Murkomen has also been seen wearing a Sh3 million Rolex, a Sh1.3 million Classic Fusion watch, a Sh50,000 pen, and Sh131,000 Gucci shoes.

Another ally, Davis Chirchir, who once served as Ruto’s chief of staff when he was Deputy President, kept a low profile on social media but utterly failed in his role overseeing the energy sector.

Under Chirchir’s watch, the country endured numerous blackouts, infuriating voters and turning off both domestic and foreign investors.

Despite the chaos, including a blackout that plunged East Africa’s busiest airport, JKIA, and major public hospitals into darkness, Chirchir never fully took responsibility. Enraged Kenyans dubbed him the ‘face of darkness’ for his failure to address the crisis.

The cabinet, described by staunch Ruto supporters like lawyer Ahmednasir Abdullahi as the most hated in the country, included Alfred Mutua, the man behind the local movie “Cobra Squad” and known for his love of cinemas.

Mutua, initially appointed as the Foreign and Diaspora Cabinet Secretary, clashed with his Permanent Secretary, Singo’ei Korir, who is perceived to have the President’s ear.

As a result, Mutua relocated from the foreign affairs headquarters on Harambee Avenue to 316 Chambers in Upperhill.

Just before his demotion from the foreign ministry to the tourism ministry in early October, Mutua angered the appointing authority during the UN General Assembly in New York in September.

Sources say this incident led to his near-removal from the cabinet. Interestingly, Mutua ordered a sleek white Mercedes Benz when he took over the foreign office.

However, by the time it arrived from the showroom, he had already been demoted to the tourism ministry and never got a chance to ride it.

Mutua has been accused of multiple protocol breaches due to his hasty decisions. During the BRICS summit in South Africa, he raised eyebrows by holding the hand of Tanzania’s President, a Muslim woman, which drew significant attention due to cultural and religious norms that prohibit physical contact between unrelated men and women.

He was also spotted clutching the Comorian President’s left hand while playfully pointing at him in a group photo with the Tanzanian President.

Peninah Malonza, the Cabinet Secretary overseeing the crucial East African Community docket, shocked Kenyans with her appointment, given her glaring incompetence and lack of communication skills during her confirmation hearing.

The soft-spoken minister from Kitui often delegated critical regional affairs to the ministry’s Principal Secretary during important meetings, according to sources.

Rebecca Miano, the only Cabinet Secretary who seemed to have found her footing in her role, consistently failed to explain the many trade agreements Kenya signed with foreign countries.

During trade negotiations between Nairobi and Washington officials, Miano was unable to clarify whether Israel had been involved as a third party and if Kenya had been coerced by the U.S. to publicly support Israel’s political and economic undertakings in exchange for a free trade deal.

On many Sundays, she could be found on the President’s X account, commenting on posts where he attended church, often quoting Bible verses.