A file photo of President William Ruto’s Chief of Staff Felix Koskei in State House.
For years, whispers in political corridors have pointed to Farouk Kibet, President William Ruto’s long-time personal assistant, as the unspoken force behind key decisions in State House.
But fresh revelations now suggest that the real power may lie elsewhere and it comes with an official title.
Felix Koskei, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, is emerging as the undisputed authority figure at the heart of government.
Multiple sources within government circles paint a picture of a man whose word is law, whose decisions override institutions, and whose grip extends from boardrooms to parastatals across the country.
https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/politics/article/2001519355/one-man-show-koskei-firms-his-grip-on-parastatals-operations
Koskei has reportedly issued a sweeping directive requiring Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and heads of parastatals to seek his personal approval before making decisions including procurement approvals.
This centralization of power has caused unease among senior officials who say it undermines the usual consultative process.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
In a bold move, Koskei is said to have taken over the official government seal, previously housed under the Attorney General’s office.
The transfer followed a standoff with former AG Justin Muturi, who allegedly resisted the directive before finally caving in.
Last month, Koskei is said to have summoned the University of Nairobi Council to State House, reportedly for a dressing down.
Council Chair Prof. Amukowa Anangwe, who was charged later in the week, was reportedly given direct instructions on how to handle the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor again, bypassing normal institutional channels.
The powerful bureaucrat has also cast his net over vocational and technical institutions. Koskei now has oversight of 2,605 such institutions, managing a staggering budget of KSh 406.649 million.
At a recent virtual meeting, junior and senior executives alike were stunned when Koskei declared that the State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC) would be granted unfettered access to board meetings a demand some saw as an open-ended license to interfere.
