Kenyans perceive underfire Agriculture and Livestock Development, Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi as the worst-performing cabinet secretary with a ranking of āEā.
The report released by Trends and Insights for Africa (TIFA) Research on Thursday, May 2, showed that Linturi has scored an E with 27 per cent.
Linturi's poor performance comes amidst heightened scrutiny over the sale of counterfeit fertilisers in the country. The National Assembly has commenced discussions on a motion to impeach Linturi, as the fallout over the fake fertiliser scandal continues.
According to the survey findings, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary bears the brunt of responsibility for the substandard subsidized fertiliser, with a significant 53 per cent of respondents who are aware of the programme attributing the blame to him. However, a noteworthy proportion of respondents, constituting nearly one-fifth at 17 per cent, remain uncertain about who shoulders the primary responsibility for the fertiliser debacle.
Among the other institutions implicated in the controversy, Kenyans perceive the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), and the Ministry of Agriculture to share culpability, albeit to a lesser extent. Each of these entities is assigned blame by 5 per cent, 4 per cent, and 4 per cent of respondents respectively.
Contrastingly, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has emerged as the top performer, achieving an impressive mean score of 'B' at 68 per cent. Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, follows closely behind with a score of 'C+' at 59 per cent.
Ababu Namwamba, the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports, secured the third position with a 'C+' and a score of 51 per cent.
Meanwhile, Eliud Owalo and Aden Duale, serving as ICT and Defense Cabinet Secretaries respectively, closely trail with scores of 51 per cent and 50 per cent.
Four other cabinet secretaries find themselves in the underwhelming 'D-' category. Energy and Petroleum Secretary Davis Chirchir garnered a mere 33 per cent, while Florence Bore of Labour and Social Protection managed 31 per cent.
Rebecca Miano of the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, alongside her counterpart in the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, both received scores of 27 per cent.
Chirchir's performance has been particularly scrutinised due to ongoing issues such as frequent blackouts plaguing Kenyans. His explanations for these power disruptions have failed to quell public dissatisfaction.
Kindiki's leadership has been notable for his effective crackdown on counterfeit alcohol, a pervasive issue within the country. The government's suspension of manufacturing licenses issued by regulatory bodies such as KRA and KEBS.
Recent statistics reveal that 46,273 litres of counterfeit alcohol have been seized, with 3,188 litres confiscated in Central Kenya alone.
Furthermore, Kindiki's ministry has made significant strides in resolving the passport and national identification processing crisis. With the acquisition of two new passport printing machines, the ministry aims to print one million passports by year-end, offering a glimmer of hope to frustrated citizens.
Nevertheless, Kindiki has faced criticism for the escalating crime rates in coastal regions and the persistent banditry in the North Rift area. These security challenges continue to pose significant threats to public safety and economic stability.
A prior survey by Infotrak, released last month, positioned the cabinet's overall performance below that of the Senate but ahead of the presidency at 67 per cent.
