CS Kuria speaks on spirited exchanges between Ruto and David Ndii during meetings

Public Service CS Moses Kuria provided insight into the inner workings between President William Ruto and his team in the executive.

According to Kuria, the president's method of running the country is not just about making decisions at the top; it involves extensive consultations and interactions with a wide array of individuals, from Cabinet members to junior staff.

He said this ensures that a diverse range of opinions is considered in the decision-making process.

“He knows his stuff, deeply, not just knowing. It's not what you know on the surface. First of all, he does his homework. He reads a lot he engages. If you go to his office or his boardroom for some of these engagements he wants to listen to even the most junior person.

“And he likes people who are saying no and he likes people who are pushing back because within that engagement, a lot comes out and he also enriches his knowledge by the pushbacks,” the Cabinet Secretary said.

He added that one example of a person who often pushes back is David Ndii, who is the Chairperson of the Presidential Council of Economic Advisors.

CS Kuria said the many times President Ruto and Ndii engage in spirited back-and-forth debates until they find a consensus.

“I don't know if you know about Karl Marx. Karl Mark had a guy called Engels who was like his alter ego. The guy who has taught the president of this pushback is one guy called Dr David Ndii, he's a real Engels for the president.

"So it's really like a universe class, you know, the amount of interaction and discourse that goes on within some of our meetings is unbelievable,” Kuria shared.

The partnership between Ndii and the head of state is particularly noteworthy because the latter was a very vocal critic of the head of state during the previous administration.

Prior to joining Ruto’s camp in 2022, the economist had previously expressed his disapproval of the then-deputy president.

"He (David Ndii) is fearless to be the chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, and you know David led us into developing this plan.

"The kind of partnership between David and the president is unbelievable, once the president now gets it after all the back and forth," Kuria added.

He explained that at the end of the day, the president is like the chief marketing officer who has to go and explain to ordinary people very complicated economic concepts.

President Ruto recently concluded a national executive retreat in Naivasha with Cabinet Secretaries, PSs, MPs, governors and key state advisers.

The retreat, which spanned over two days, aimed to assess the progress of his administration, discuss pressing issues, and plan for the future.

During the retreat, Ruto emphasised the importance of collaboration between the national government and counties, as they are crucial partners in ensuring the success of the administration's programs and policies.

The retreat also assessed the progress of the current administration, identifying areas that require improvement, and align the goals of the government with the aspirations of Kenyans.