Ababu Namwamba believes that he did ‘a fantastic job’ in the 20 months he served as the Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports under Kenya Kwanza government. 

Speaking during the Motor Sports Championship rally at Meru University, Namwamba listed some of his achievements in the sports docket as he thanked President William Ruto for giving him the opportunity to serve. 

“I believe I have done a fantastic job. We have revived sports, we got FIFA to lift suspension on football, we have won AFCON – it is coming to Kenya for the first time. See how motorsports is coming back to life,” Namwamba said. 

Having previously served under the governments of Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta, Namwamba terms the presidential appointments as privileges he was honoured to receive. 

“Appointment to serve in public office is a priviledge, an honour, it is not an entitlement, and it is not a right. I feel priviledged, honoured, humbled that three times in my life, three different presidents have given me a chance to serve this country,” he stated.

Namwamba added that even though he performed his work well, President William Ruto was at liberty to make the changes which saw him and 20 other Cabinet Secretaries rendered jobless. 

“There are success stories all over the place but at the end of the day it is up to the President to decide how he wishes to move forward,” said Namwamba.

On Thursday, July 11, 2024, Ruto announced the dismissal of his Cabinet Secretaries, while only sparing Musalia Mudavadi, the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. 

The decision was in line with President Ruto’s effort to overhaul his government, alongside other austerity measures aimed at reviving the nation’s economy.