Why I rejected Raila’s preferred candidate for Treasury CS; Ruto
Ruto has explained that he differed with the late opposition leader Raila Odinga on the appointment of the Treasury Cabinet Secretary
President William Ruto has explained that he differed with the late opposition leader Raila Odinga on the appointment of the Treasury Cabinet Secretary during the formation of the broad-based government.
Speaking during a State House event on Monday, June 15, 2026, the President said he insisted on appointing a leader from the Luo community to the Treasury docket to challenge harmful perceptions, indicating that Raila had suggested the position be held by someone not from Nyanza [Raila had proposed current Cooperatives CS Wycliffe Oparanya for the Treasury portfolio had he been elected president in the 2022 General Election].
“When it came to the formation of the broad-based government, I remember very well, my brother, the wonderful Raila Odinga, had a different opinion of who should be the minister for finance.
“And I remember I told him that my brother, if there is one place I will defy you, is that I am going to appoint a person from Luoland to be the first Cabinet Secretary or Minister for Finance, again, to correct a negative profiling of a whole community that they don’t care about property, you know, property belongs to some people, the economy belongs to them. No, listen, good people,” Ruto said.
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He added that the broader goal of his administration is to ensure equitable development across all regions regardless of political alignment.
Ruto said his government will no longer base development decisions on how citizens voted, insisting that every part of the country deserves fair allocation of resources.
“It is also the same reason why I have made the decision that development in Kenya is never going to be done again on account of which citizen has voted in which direction, that we are going to develop this nation equally and every part of Kenya deserves a share like any other,” he said.
He noted that his administration is working to dismantle the perception that some communities have greater ownership or entitlement to the economy than others.
The President stressed that Kenya must move away from divisive thinking on economic participation, saying the country belongs equally to all citizens.
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