Co-operatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has raised concerns over what he described as serious underfunding of his ministry, sparking fresh political debate within President William Ruto’s administration.
While appearing before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives to discuss the 2026/27 budget estimates, Oparanya questioned whether his office was being treated like a fully recognised Cabinet Secretary’s office within government.
“I do not know whether my office is recognised as one of the offices of a CS in this government or not,” he told MPs during the session.
The former Kakamega County governor revealed that his ministry has been struggling financially, forcing him at times to depend on Principal Secretaries for operational support. According to him, the ministry urgently requires at least KSh200 million to effectively run its programmes and activities.
Oparanya further disclosed that he has occasionally faced challenges during official trips due to lack of fuel and operational funds, saying the situation had reduced him to “a beggar” within government circles.
His remarks quickly triggered political reactions, especially because he remains one of the senior ODM leaders currently serving in the broad-based government arrangement alongside President Ruto.
Analysts and political observers say the public frustrations could point to growing dissatisfaction within some sections of the Kenya Kwanza administration regarding resource allocation and government priorities.
Despite the complaints, Oparanya urged Parliament to intervene and allocate more funds to his ministry, which has been spearheading programmes aimed at supporting SACCOs, micro-enterprises, and small businesses under the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
