Cabinet Secretary nominee for the Ministry of East Africa Community (EAC) and Regional Development, Beatrice Asukul Moe appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Public Appointments on Friday, August 9, 2024.

As part of mandatory vetting procedure, the CS nominee declared her wealth at Ksh100 million. She elicited joyful laughter from the committee after she added that her wealth is her family's and community's to enjoy.

Being the first woman from Turkana to be appointed to cabinet, Asukul explained that is culturally incorrect in her community for one to declare wealth as an individual's.

She said that her family, friends and community also benefit from the wealth thus it could not be entirely referred to as personal net worth but rather a community wealth.

"It is a family wealth...In my area, family wealth is equally community wealth, because when you have it, you have to support the neighbourhood, other relatives, community. Basically, the wealth is not mine, it is our worth," she said amidst chuckles from the MPs.    

Asukul, a former Turkana County Executive Committee Member (CECM) and Rift Valley Water Service Board Director explained to Kathiani MP Robert Mbui that all her wealth is legitimately acquired.

She noted that the wealth had been jointly acquired with her husband through salaries and property investments.

"It has nothing to do with county government; it is our efforts and somebody's humanitarian salary. I am married, my husband has worked in several places, he has been outside the country for 17 years," she said.

"I am from a pastoralist community that is still rich in culture. The net worth is not mine, there is nothing under my name...The worth is not cash, it is the property we have."