Since taking office as Kenya’s President, William Ruto has made multiple appointments to his government, but some of the appointees have rejected his offers.
While such appointments are considered career-defining, some appointees declined due to personal reasons, while others cited a lack of consultation and political discomfort.
Here are 5 renowned individuals who rejected powerful positions in Ruto’s Government:
Former West Mugirango MP, Vincent Mogaka Kemosi
Vincent Mogaka Kemosi rejected his nomination by President Ruto as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Ghana in April 2024. After declining the position, Mogaka cited personal and family matters as the reason.
Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u
Just like Kemosi, former ICT Cabinet Secretary Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u declined President William Ruto’s nomination to serve as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Ghana in 2025.
While withdrawing from the candidacy, she revealed that she rejected the job due to personal reasons. As a result, she did not appear for vetting by the National Assembly’s Defence Committee.
LSK President Faith Odhiambo
Faith Odhiambo turned down an appointment by President William Ruto to serve on the Presidential Taskforce on Forensic Audit of Public Debt.
She and the LSK council deemed the task force unconstitutional, stating that auditing public debt is the sole mandate of the Auditor General.
Justina Wamae
Former Roots Party presidential running mate Justina Wamae is also among those who declined President Ruto’s appointment. She rejected a position on the task force to audit health resources in Ruto’s administration.
President Ruto said the taskforce was necessitated by the need to formulate comprehensive strategies and policies to enhance the healthcare workforce. He named Wamae among the team. Wamae thanked the President for the offer, saying she was glad that he had recognized her strength and ability.
Former Machakos MP Victor Munyaka
As soon as President William Ruto appointed him as the chairperson of the Kenya Animal Genetic Resource Centre, Victor Munyaka rejected the appointment with immediate effect.
According to the former lawmaker, he only learned of the appointment through the Gazette notice published on Friday, October 3, 2024. He explained that he rejected the appointment due to the prevailing political tension rocking the country at the time.
