- President Ruto defends Energy CS Chirchir, blaming inherited challenges for power outages
- Ruto dismisses TIFA polls as fraud, claims they aim to tarnish his administration
- Controversy arises as TIFA ranks Chirchir lowest-performing CS, critics demand his removal
President William Ruto has come to the defense of Energy Cabinet Secretary David Chirchir amid growing criticism over frequent power outages in Kenya.
Energy CS Davis Chirchir with President William Ruto
Ruto asserts that Chirchir inherited challenges due to the lack of clear power supply plans by the government.
In a statement, President Ruto dismisses recent TIFA polls ranking Chirchir as the lowest-performing Cabinet Secretary, labeling them as fraudulent.
He accuses the pollster of being influenced by undisclosed individuals to tarnish his administration’s reputation.
“I don’t believe in TIFA polls, they are a fraud. If it was up to TIFA, I wouldn’t be president,” states President Ruto emphatically.
The controversy stems from TIFA’s report released on December 13th, which identifies Energy CS Davis Chirchir as the worst-performing in Ruto’s Cabinet, scoring only 19 percent.
The report points to Chirchir’s struggles in addressing issues such as increased fuel prices and power outages.
Notably, the President’s stance contradicts widespread criticism, including calls for Chirchir’s dismissal by figures like Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga, who deems the Energy CS responsible for embarrassing the nation.
Chirchir’s challenges with national blackouts have made him a target for politicians from both the opposition and the UDA party.
The TIFA report also ranks Gender CS Aisha Jumwa as second-to-last, with 23 percent, while Njuguna Ndung’u (National Treasury), Zachariah Njeru (Water), and Alice Wahome (Lands) follow closely behind, each scoring 24 percent.
