A dramatic confrontation unfolded on Friday, June 13, during a Senate Public Accounts Committee session when Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei clashed over Farouk Kibet, a known aide to President William Ruto.
The friction emerged during the grilling of Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka, where Sifuna made a passing mention of Farouk. Cherargei immediately pounced, demanding Sifuna respect Farouk’s position as the president’s personal assistant.
“Senator Sifuna, you should know that Farouk Kibet is not an ordinary Kenyan; he is the president’s PA. I know you don’t know how State House looks like, but I’m just informing you so that you are conversant,” Cherargei remarked.
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Sifuna Fires Back: “Farouk Holds No Legal Office”
Unshaken, Sifuna dismissed Cherargei’s remarks as mere hero worship, stating that Farouk Kibet does not hold any constitutional office in Kenya and therefore deserves no formal recognition in official proceedings.
Sifuna also reignited a previous jab from Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen, who had trolled Cherargei over his legal understanding. “I protected him because Murkomen had said certain things about his intellectual capacity,” Sifuna quipped.
“As a state officer, I only recognize people who occupy constitutional offices, not personal assistants. The office of the PA to the president is not in the Constitution. So to me, that is an entity,” he concluded.
Who Is Farouk Kibet?
Though holding no formal title, Farouk Kibet is known to wield immense influence in President Ruto’s inner circle. From his early days as a behind-the-scenes strategist to becoming a powerful gatekeeper at State House, Farouk commands loyalty and fear alike from political elites.
He rarely speaks in public, but insiders describe him as the man who makes or breaks political access to the president. His visibility has increased since Ruto took office, though he remains elusive in media appearances.
Political Implications
This heated exchange between Sifuna and Cherargei highlights deep political fault lines in Kenya’s Senate and the perceived unchecked power of unofficial aides within the presidency. The role of Farouk Kibet continues to spark debates on transparency, influence, and the blurred lines between formal authority and informal power.
