Mudavadi: Acting as CS in all ministries was historic for me

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi/FILE

As 2024 comes to an end, Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi gave an overview of the year in a one-on-one interview with the Star.

What is the most historic moment for you in 2024?

The year 2024 was quite interesting for me. It was the year that I acted in virtually all the ministries of the government after President William Ruto dissolved his entire Cabinet sending home all CSs and the Attorney General.

In that Special Gazette Notice dated July 12, the President dismissed all Cabinet Secretaries save for me, and declared that I would be in charge of all vacant portfolios.

That is quite a historic moment for me. 2024 will definitely go down in my memoirs when I decide to write again after doing my autobiography.

You have led the ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs and Interior and National Coordination, what would you consider your best successes?

Within the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, we have really enhanced the profile of the ministry. We have developed the Foreign Policy and have even done the Sessional Paper which, for the first time in Kenya’s history will be tabled in Parliament.

People have always treated the space of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs as a preserve, sometimes treated as club and yet our Constitution demands that there must be public participation.

I believe we have achieved a tremendous milestone by opening up the ministry to the public. As we were celebrating 60 years of diplomacy, it also gave Kenyans a good opportunity to have a deeper insight of the ministry and its operations and how it impacts them.

As for the Ministry of Interior, it is a bit early but one thing I can say out security teams are doing us proud. They have made tremendous contributions to the safety of our country but they always pass as unsung heroes. But I can tell you that they are doing a good job to keep Kenyans safe.

What was your worst experience in 2024?

I think the worst experience in 2024 is when a process that is guaranteed by the Constitution, the right to protest, was converted into a moment of anarchy.

A process was hijacked, and for the first time in Kenya’s history we saw people invading Parliament. Remember this had never happened.

When we had the maadamano in 2023 but nobody invaded Parliament. In the previous years, including the most difficult times- the struggle for multiparty democracy- nobody invaded Parliament.

Even in the era of the Grand Coalition government, after the 2007/8 post-election violence, which was a bigger crisis for the country, nobody invaded Parliament.

I was very disappointed to see that people tried to undermine the very institution that symbolise our democracy. It was a seriously low moment for the country. Also to see the Finance Bill being rejected was a bad experience because the implications were severe. We continued to suffer the consequences of the withdrawal of the Finance Bill. 

What are your most memorable moments in 2024?

There two sides to it. One of the most memorable moments was the state visit to the United States. I was in the company of President William Ruto. First of all, it was the first African state visit in 20 years.

That was a very significant development. Secondly, it also gave us the opportunity to interact with Kenyans diaspora in Atlanta, all the way to Washington.

Another memorable moment this year was the event around the Gen Zs in June. It was more or less, very close after the state visit.