Ichung’wah Breaks Ranks as He Tells Ruto to Obey Court Ruling on Gender Balance in Cabinet, Details

Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wah has urged President William Ruto to respect a High Court ruling on gender balance in the Cabinet, a stand that has caught many in the ruling camp off guard.

According to People Daily, which has carried the lawmaker’s remarks, Ichung’wah has argued that should the legal challenges fail to overturn the decision, the President will have no alternative but to implement the constitutional provisions.

The dispute has been building since a three-judge bench of the High Court declared the current Cabinet unconstitutional on June 30.

The judges found that the line-up has breached Article 27(8) of the Constitution, which has limited either gender to two-thirds of appointive positions, and they have handed the President 120 days to correct it.

The Attorney-General has since asked the Court of Appeal to suspend the order, but the appellate court declined. That outcome has left the State with fewer options, and the clock has kept ticking.

Ruto has remained non-committal. He has sidestepped questions on whether a reshuffle is coming, and analysts have cautioned that replacing male Cabinet Secretaries could unsettle allies and regional power balances less than a year before the 2027 election.

Ichung’wah’s intervention has added a fresh layer to the debate. Coming from a close ally of the President, his comments have been read by many as a sign that respect for the courts has begun to outweigh political comfort.

Legal commentators have also reminded the public that defying a court order could expose the President to contempt proceedings.

Katiba Institute, which has led the petition alongside other groups, has long maintained that the gender principle has been a binding duty and not a favour. Rights advocates have waited more than a decade for the two-thirds rule to take hold in public appointments, so any voice that has pushed for compliance has drawn close attention.

For now, attention has shifted to State House. The question that has hung over the capital for months remains whether the Cabinet will be reconstituted before the deadline runs out. That test has begun.

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