Mining Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee Hassan Ali Joho has reneged on his initial sentiments about working with President William Ruto.
Joho had in the past publicly opposed Ruto’s governance stating that he does not ever dream of working with him.
“Mimi niongee na Ruto nini, Mimi naenda wapi na Ruto,” he stated at the time.
But while responding to Samburu West Member of Parliament (MP) Naisula Lessuda’s question over the aforementioned remarks, Joho noted that only fools don’t change their minds, his sentiments were backed by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.
The former Mombasa Governor who was speaking when he appeared before the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments to defend his nomination on Sunday, August 4, 2024, further explained that despite being one of the biggest critics of Ruto’s administration, the nomination to work with the president is a clarion call to the country.
He added that with this new opportunity, he will be able to effectively advocate for positive change while working from within. Joho subsequently underscored that under his helm, the ministry will undergo transformational change with new energy, ideologies, and thinking, that will serve the people of Kenya.
“Hii ni clarion call to serve the country, I have been a great critic of this government like others I did before now I have been given an opportunity to come and create that difference that I have been talking about on this side and that is what I’m going to do, bring new energy, new ideologies, new thinking because after all of us are serving one Kenya one people,” he said.
The mining CS nominee also assured the committee that he was the right person for the job given his academic credentials and skills
“The record speaks for itself of what I was able to achieve in Mombasa on matters health, basic infrastructure, early childhood and social programs,” Joho said.