Former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has opened up about his dismissal from President William Ruto’s Cabinet, blaming a group of Kisii lawmakers elected under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for orchestrating his removal.

Speaking at a funeral in Nyaribari Masaba on Friday, May 23, 2025, Machogu claimed that five MPs from the Kisii region lobbied for his sacking after he refused to grant them government contracts linked to a multibillion shilling education project.

"The project was worth 1.9 billion shillings. These MPs wanted to share it among themselves by being given tenders and contracts. I strongly rejected that," Machogu told mourners.

He alleged that the lawmakers—Joash Nyamoko (North Mugirango), Silvanus Osoro (South Mugirango), Alpha Miruka (Bomachoge Chache), Japheth Nyakundi (Kitutu Chache North), and Zaheer Chandah (Nyaribari Chache)—celebrated his sacking and pushed for his replacement.

“They wrote to the president demanding that I be sacked. They even fronted a name for who should replace me,” he said.

Machogu described the MPs as individuals driven by envy and political malice.

"This crop of leaders does not have the space of the Omogusii in their hearts. They are only out to use the name of the community to extort money from the president and other leaders who do not mean well for our people," he stated.

He said the MPs were angered by his refusal to give them control of contracts for the construction of classrooms in 68 schools in Nyamira County. The project was funded by the Kuwait government.

“If I could have given in to their fishy and corrupt deals, by now I could be languishing and speaking from a filthy prison,” Machogu said.

The former CS also expressed regret over supporting President Ruto’s presidential bid in 2022.

“I regret asking our people to support Ruto’s candidature. I thought that with Ruto’s win, the Kisii community would get development, but it is unfortunate that he is doing the contrary,” he said.

Machogu called on the Kisii community to unite and support one of their own for the presidency in 2027.

He also recalled how the same group of leaders fought former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i during his time in government and are still opposing him today following his declaration to contest for the presidency.

“These are the same people who tried to bring down Matiang’i, and now they are trying to silence me. But I will not be intimidated,” Machogu declared.