Trending on X: #Judiciary and #CAS the case of the Chief Administrative Secretaries

Early July, #Judiciary and #CASs were the some of the biggest trending hashtags on Kenyan X (formerly Twitter) following the Supreme Court’s decision, on Tuesday 4th of July, that the appointment of some 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries was unconstitutional.

Chief Administrative Secretaries, or CASs, are seconded to Cabinet Secretaries. The CAS position was initially created under Uhuru Kenyatta’s presidency and was intended to create an office that would lessen the load on Cabinet Secretaries.

Uhuru appointed some 23 CASs under his presidency. Ruto appointed a further 27 under his presidency.

It has always been a contentious position.

Those that are in favour of the CAS job say that it is an essential role that frees up time and energy for Cabinet Secretaries and Principle Secretaries.

Those that are against the role say that it is a waste of the taxpayer’s money. They allege that the job role isn’t unique or essential enough to warrant its existence. Others suggest that the job title CAS is nothing more than a back-door entry into politics for the president’s loyalists: a government wage for those that lost election-contended positions.

(Multi Touch International, a lobby group that sought to get rid of the CAS position states that one CAS costs the tax payer around Kshs 3 million per month).

The reason #Judiciary and #CASs is trending right now is because those against the role have won. The Supreme Court has ruled the job role unconstitutional. This, in theory, means that Ruto’s appointments, and Uhuru’s before him, are illegal.