By Anderson Ojwang
John Ngongo Mbadi is a man of dual faces and character. A political chameleon and survivor par excellence. They say appearances can be deceptive.
The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning exhibits a truly dual character, depending on the interests, environment, circumstances, situations and audience.
Mbadi, in his true mien, colour and form, has displayed a chameleon’s survival instinct to either survive and evade enemies or trap the bounty that nature brings forth.
In his true colours, habits, nature and tendencies, Mbadi displays a tendency towards a conflicted and bitter personality, constantly on a warpath with everything and for nothing, and quickly changes gear to sing praises and worship once he lands in the basket of the perceived enemy.
The Kokuru Boys alumnus and 2037 presidential hopeful is a man who eats with one hand and bites with the other.
To gain a deeper and more classical understanding of Mbadi, one needs to draw a parallel between the former ODM national chairperson as Raila’s key ally before the latter’s demise and Mbadi in the opposition, and now in President William Ruto’s Cabinet as a key pillar.
Mbadi in the opposition
Mbadi became one of Raila’s trusted lieutenants and a frequent visitor to Mama Ida Odinga’s homes in both Opoda, Bondo, and Karen.
The late Raila Odinga appointed him assistant minister in his Prime Minister’s Office and made him ODM national chairman after the demise of former Homa Bay Senator Otieno Kajwang.
Mbadi became a true defender of the Odingas, and at the slightest provocation, he would slay any imagined or real enemies with his gift of the gab. His tongue and oratory skills became his potent weapon and an asset of mass destruction.
Mbadi described Ruto’s first Cabinet after his victory in the 2022 presidential election as a ‘skunk’.
He said Ruto’s first Cabinet was “60 per cent incompetent” and that approving the nominees would be like “giving Ruto his skunk.”
Affordable housing
Mbadi was a critic of affordable housing and said in Parliament:
“You cannot force Kenyans to pay money for the houses they have not asked you. Mr Speaker, you are telling us that these houses will be provided to the people in the rural constituencies.
“That you are going to come to Ukwala and move Ugenya people to reside in Ukwala. Who tells them the people of Ugenya want to live in Ukwala? Who tells you that my people in Suba South, whom I have represented for 15 years, want to live in Sindo, Magunga or Nyandiwa? That is not what they want. You cannot tax Kenyans to pay for the houses which they have not asked you.”
Dictatorship
Mbadi criticised Ruto for trying to impose dictatorship in the country and warned that he was likely to fail.
**“It is irresponsible of Ruto to talk the way he spoke. President Ruto must know he is a symbol of national unity. He must give respect to that position and must respect people. You cannot say a sword is for cutting vegetables. This country cannot go back to dictatorship. People like us will not allow you. A leader talking of dictatorship, killing and harassing the people he rules.
“That leader’s day is numbered. I see Ruto going down like African leaders who have been dictators,” he said.
Mbadi in government
Mbadi has stated that critics calling for the President’s removal fail to provide valid justifications for their stance, asserting that the government has addressed long-standing issues that have plagued critical sectors for years.
“Some people say President Ruto’s government must go, yet when asked why, they claim nothing is happening,” said Mbadi.
“But for a decade before Ruto, there were constant complaints about tea, coffee, sugar and dairy. Today, you don’t hear about those issues because this administration has tried to fix them.
“There are people who are opposing the President today simply because his name sounds strange. It’s not because negative things are happening in this country that have never happened before,”** he said.
Marriage
Mbadi has maintained that the Luo community and ODM will support President Ruto.
“In 2027, UDA and ODM must work together. I have been chairman of ODM for ten years. Looking at the dynamics of politics in this country, we don’t have a choice. The two parties must collaborate—if not for anything else, just to lead the unity of Kenya,” he said.
“President Ruto, you have shown us a different friendship. I’m not saying this because I’m the Finance Minister. I say this because I can see the way you relate to everyone in this country. Kenyans have been seeing how you love everyone equally. I want to tell my people that we are going nowhere,” Mbadi said.
“We sat down with former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in the ODM Central Committee. We have resolved that we are supporting the broad-based government. The resolution is in the minutes signed by Raila. We fully support the broad-based government,” he said.
“For me to betray him,” the CS said.
BETA
Mbadi, once a critic of the Kenya Kwanza Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, which he termed populist, has now changed his tune.
“BETA talks about job creation, cost of living, agricultural productivity and the digital economy. In the ODM manifesto, we also talked about the same. Actually, the BETA concept is value addition. In ODM, which I participated in developing, we had manufacturing, emphasising agriculture as a raw material. Housing was also a concept for both parties. There is a Constitution, and the PFM Act will guide my conduct in office, if approved.”
The former ODM chairman previously criticised the model, dismissing it as populist rhetoric with little practical substance.
“The Bottom-Up Economic Transformational Agenda (BETA) is a concept of the UDA through Kenya Kwanza. If you look at the philosophy of UDA and ODM, there is no difference. Actually, the two are social democrats. The two political parties promote social democracy,” he said in defence of Ruto’s economic policy.
Loyalty pledge
Mbadi has reiterated that his loyalty to President William Ruto runs deep and that nothing will make him break his trust.
At the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in Ndhiwa on 18 December 2024, Mbadi asserted that the confidence and risk the President took in appointing him made it difficult for him to betray him.
“The President can give you any ministry but not the Ministry of Finance. The kind of confidence and the risk that he (Ruto) took to appoint me makes it very difficult,” he said.
Mbadi has declared that the Luo community will not abandon President Ruto, arguing that the political loyalty it gave the late Raila Odinga cannot automatically be transferred to another person, including members of his family.
“Don’t be lied to that you can remove some Luos from President William Ruto; you are wasting your time. Luos have already decided that, based on what the President is currently doing for them, they are going to re-elect him for his second term, and when they are done with him, they will produce their own as president in 2032, and Mbadi is on the front line. I want to be president,” he said.
Mbadi’s tiff with the Raila family
Mbadi was enraged by Raila’s first anniversary celebrations and took a swipe at his widow, Mama Ida Odinga.
“I want to tell you this, we followed the late Raila Odinga because of the stand he had and the sacrifices he made for us as a nation. The love we had for Raila cannot be transferred to somebody else, unless you convince us that you match that respect and the honour we had for him,” he said.
Mbadi said any woman is capable of giving birth to a leader and that he would vie for the presidency in 2032.
“There are people who think that they are the only ones who can give birth to leaders. Every woman has the capacity to bring forth leaders. That is why I have problems with those who think the president should only come from their areas. Even here in the Lake Region, we are capable of producing a president. I am ready to run for president in 2032.”
Do not bite the hand that has fed you
In his anger, Mbadi could have bitten the hands that presided over his rise to his current standing and may fall to the hammer of a community that believes one “should not abuse the hand that feeds them.”
