When President William Ruto named his infamous cabinet in 2022, one thing stuck out like a sore thumb. The cabinet secretaries were filthy rich.

In fact, in comparison to a first world nation like the United States, the Ruto CSes were richer than US President Joe Biden and his ministers combined!

That was in 2022. Nearly two years down the line, a good number of these cabinet secretaries have mocked Kenyans with their opulence, and arrogantly displayed whose sources have been questioned.

This arrogance and unashamed display of riches has irked Kenyans, who have wondered how fast the wealth on display has been accumulated, and why no authority within the government cares to investigate or question.

Retracing back to the wealth these cabinet secretaries who were dismissed from their positions on July 11 declared, records show that their combined wealth was a mind boggling Sh. 15.26 billion.

In contrast, according to a 2021 report by financial magazine Forbes, President Biden and his entire cabinet of 15 members had a combined wealth of Sh. 14 billion. The US president himself was worth Sh. 958 million. This was less than the Sh. 1.2 billion that was declared by immediate former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi.

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Biden’s deputy Kamala Harris was worth an estimated Sh. 838 million. This was less than what the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Professor Njuguna Ndung’u declared as his wealth.

In the Ruto cabinet, the richest was former Vice President Musalia Mudavadi  who is now the Prime Cabinet Secretary and CS for Foreign Affairs. His net worth was Sh. 4 billion. Mudavadi was spared in the ministers dismissal by Ruto. Musalia was followed at a far distance by Linturi.

Musalia and Linturi were followed by Simon Chelugui, Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u and Aden Duale who placed their net worth at Sh. 993 million, Sh. 950 million and Sh. 871 million respectively.

CS Moses Kuria’s net worth stood at Sh. 750 million followed by immediate former Attorney General Justin Muturi with Sh. 700 million.

ICT CS Eliud Owalo had Sh.645 million, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu had Sh. 590 million wealth while Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen came in with Sh. 550 million wealth. Interior CS Kithure Kindiki had wealth amounting to Sh. 544 million.

Energy CS Davis Chirchir had wealth of Sh. 482 million, Sports CS Ababu Namwamba Sh. 425 million, Alfred Mutua Sh. 420 million, Rebecca Miano Sh. 397 million, Peninah Malonza Sh. 300 million, Alice Wahome Sh. 218 million, Florence Bore Sh. 200 million, Soipan Tuya Sh. 156 million, and Salim Mvurya Sh. 120 million. The least wealthy was Zachary Njeru who. His wealth stands at Sh. 80 million.

In a serious country, it would be phenomenal to to establish what these cabinet secretaries are currently worth and the actual sources of the wealth they have accumulated over the now almost two years.