NAIROBI, Kenya — Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has fired back at critics of President William Ruto’s administration, urging them to take a hard look at the past before casting stones at the present.
Speaking in Suna West on Sunday, Mbadi didn’t mince words. “What exactly is going wrong now that didn’t happen under Uhuru Kenyatta?” he asked, calling out what he described as political hypocrisy and selective outrage.
According to Mbadi, the Kenya Kwanza government has made significant strides compared to its predecessor, especially in economic reforms and timely disbursement of funds.
He argued that while some leaders—particularly from Central Kenya—continue to decry government inaction, key sectors like tea and coffee are receiving more support than ever before.
“I haven’t heard anyone from those sectors complaining about underfunding,” Mbadi noted, suggesting that the noise from critics is more about politics than facts.
The CS highlighted what he called an unprecedented move: full disbursement of funds to counties for the 2024/2025 financial year, including arrears from the previous cycle.
“During the entire Uhuru presidency, full transfers to counties never happened. This year, we’ve done it all—including the backlog,” he said.
Mbadi also pointed out that constituencies across the country have received their complete allocation of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF)—a first in nearly a decade.
That, he said, is a strong indicator that Ruto’s government is serious about equitable development and fiscal responsibility.
“Counties have received not just their usual share, but additional funds in sharable revenue,” he emphasized, positioning it as proof that the Kenya Kwanza administration is walking the talk.
As debate over Ruto’s performance continues to rage across political circles, Mbadi’s remarks offer a firm defense of the regime’s financial management and broader development agenda. Whether that defense will quiet the critics, however, remains to be seen.
