{{Short description|Kenyan politician}} {{Multiple issues| {{Copy edit|date=March 2026}} {{update|date=March 2026}} }} {{Use British English|date=January 2023}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Moses Kiarie Kuria | image = Moses Kuria - 2023 (cropped).jpg | caption = Moses Kuria in 2023 | office1 = Member of Parliament | constituency1 = Gatundu South | term_start1 = 2007 | party = {{ubl |CCK |People's Empowerment Party (PEP) |People's Progressive Party (PPP-K) |ODM |TNA |Jubilee Party |UDA }}<!--years of membership needed--> | birth_date = 1971 | alma_mater = {{ubl | University of Nairobi (undergraduate) | Ituru Secondary Sch. | Githuya Primary Sch. }} | occupation = {{ubl | 2009 - Manager of Bs. Process, Al Rajhi Bank, Saudi Arab | 2007 - Chief Operating Officer, Wamad Info. Services, Dubai | 1995 - Head of Bs. Process, Afr., STANDARD CHARTERED BANK | 1994 - Auditor, Family Finance and Building Society }} }}
'''Moses Kiarie Kuria''' is a Kenyan politician and the former Cabinet Secretary (CS) for public service, performance and delivery management having been appointed by President William Ruto, and successfully vetted by the 13th Parliament of Kenya.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moses Kuria appointed Trade and Industry CS |url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-09-27-moses-kuria-named-trade-and-industry-cs/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=The Star |language=en-KE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-28 |title=Kenya: CS Moses Kuria Takes Over Office From Maina |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202210280121.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=allAfrica.com |language=en}}</ref> He was sworn in on 27 October 2022 as the new CS for Investments, Trade and Industry replacing Betty Maina.
== Political career == Kuria is a staunch admirer of former President Kibaki.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://softkenya.com/kenya/moses-kuria/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170712003842/https://softkenya.com/kenya/moses-kuria/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=12 July 2017|title=Moses Kuria Biography, Education, Tweets and Contacts|date=2015-08-03|work=Softkenya.com|access-date=2018-03-13|language=en-US}}</ref> He attributes his admiration for politics to the former president. His political journey started when he joined Kibaki's team through Uhuru Kenyatta's Kanu Party.
Following the death of the then member of parliament for Gatundu South, Hon. Jossy Ngugi, Moses Kuria was elected unopposed as the new MP in 2014 on TNA party.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wanambisi |first=Laban |date=2014-08-01 |title=Moses Kuria unopposed as challenger pulls out |url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2014/08/moses-kuria-unopposed-as-challenger-pulls-out/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Capital News |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Wanambisi |first=Laban |date=2014-08-02 |title=IEBC to declare Moses Kuria Gatundu South MP |url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2014/08/iebc-to-declare-moses-kuria-gatundu-south-mp/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Capital News |language=en-US}}</ref> He was re-elected as an MP during the 2017 general elections to serve for a 5-year parliamentary term, running until 2022 on Jubilee Party.<ref>{{cite web |title=Moses Kuria |url=http://info.mzalendo.com/person/moses-kuria/}}</ref> In 2021, he founded a new party Chama Cha Kazi.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Nyambura |first=Eva |date=2021-08-05 |title=Moses Kuria Unveils New Party "Chama cha Kazi" Following PEP Ouster |url=https://www.kahawatungu.com/moses-kuria-unveils-party-chama-cha-kazi/ |access-date=2022-09-21 |website=KahawaTungu |language=en-US}}</ref> He was succeeded by Gabriel Kagombe in the 2022 General Election.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mueni |first=Jemimah |date=2022-08-11 |title=UDA's Kagombe clinches Gatundu South MP seat » Capital News |url=https://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/2022/08/udas-kagombe-clinches-gatundu-south-mp-seat/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Capital News |language=en-US}}</ref>
During the 2022 general elections, he unsuccessfully vied for governor of Kiambu county.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moses Kuria concedes defeat in Kiambu governor race |url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/realtime/2022-08-09-moses-kuria-concedes-defeat-in-kiambu-governor-race/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=The Star |language=en-KE}}</ref> He lost the race to Kimani Wamatangi and conceded defeat stating that he would proceed to pursue a different course in the private sector.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-10 |title='Back to private sector,' Moses Kuria concedes defeat in Kiambu Governor race |url=https://www.citizen.digital/news/back-to-private-sector-moses-kuria-concedes-defeat-in-kiambu-governor-race-n303722 |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=Citizen Digital |language=en-KE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mueni |first=Jemimah |date=2022-08-10 |title=Kenya: Moses Kuria Concedes Defeat in Kiambu Governor Race Before Final Winner Is Declared |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202208100024.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=allAfrica.com |language=en}}</ref> On 27 September 2022, he was appointed as Cabinet secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moses Kuria appointed Trade and Industry CS |url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2022-09-27-moses-kuria-named-trade-and-industry-cs/ |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=The Star |language=en-KE}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-10-28 |title=Kenya: CS Moses Kuria Takes Over Office From Maina |url=https://allafrica.com/stories/202210280121.html |access-date=2023-01-23 |website=allAfrica.com |language=en}}</ref>
In the October 2023 reshuffle, he was moved to the public service portfolio and was replaced as trade minister by Rebecca Miano.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-10-05 |title=Kenya's Foreign Minister Alfred Mutua demoted in Ruto cabinet reshuffle |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-67014881 |access-date=2023-10-06}}</ref>
== Controversy == ===Hate speech=== Kuria's political career has been marred by controversy. He has been incarcerated severally and charged with hate speech.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nairobinews.nation.co.ke/news/moses-kuria-arrested-hate-speech-raila|title=Moses Kuria arrested over Raila hate speech|website=Nairobi News|date=11 September 2017 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-12}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/news/Moses-Kuria-Muthama-arrested/1056-4091146-u5xvcy/index.html|title=Moses Kuria, Muthama arrested over hate speech claims|last=Cherono|first=Stells|date=2017|website=Daily Nation}}</ref> His ravaging attacks on Kenya's opposition has created a sharp schism among political protagonists; while the opponents feel that Kuria is a 'loose cannon' who is poised to incite his community against the others, his proponents believe that he is an ardent defender of their interests in the political arena.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001328367/moses-kuria-s-seeming-insanity-is-just-a-facade|title=Is Moses Kuria Clinically Insane?|last=Shahbal|first=Suleiman|website=The Standard|access-date=2019-08-12}}</ref>
===Edible oil scandal=== In 2023 Kuria, who was then Trade and Investments Cabinet Secretary was under fire after the auditor general reported that Kenya lost 6 billion shillings in the edible oil importation saga. Kuria was questioned on how his ministry handled the importation and how private companies with affiliations to local politicians and government officials were involved in the deal. He defended himself of any wrongdoing terming the importation a necessary measure in the government's mandate to tackle the rising cost of living.<ref>{{Cite web | title=EXPOSED: How Kenya Lost Over Ksh 6 Billion in Edible Oil Scandal | url=https://thekenyatimes.com/latest-kenya-times-news/exposed-how-kenya-lost-over-ksh-6-billion-in-edible-oil-scandal/ | work=Kenya Times | date=9 Oct 2024| language=en }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=List of 10 Companies Linked to KSh 25 Billion Cooking Oil Scandal | url=https://www.tuko.co.ke/business-economy/530136-list-10-companies-linked-ksh-25-billion-cooking-oil-scandal/ | work=TUKO | date=4 Dec 2023 | language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title=Edible oil scam: CS Kuria says importations were done to protect Kenyans from cartels | url=https://citizen.digital/article/edible-oil-scam-cs-kuria-says-importations-were-done-to-protect-kenyans-from-cartels-n322084 | work=Citizen Digital | date=20 June 2023 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kuria, Moses}} Category:Living people Category:Members of the National Assembly (Kenya) Category:Members of the 11th Parliament of Kenya Category:Members of the 12th Parliament of Kenya Category:Jubilee Party politicians Category:Leaders of political parties in Kenya Category:Kenyan political party founders Category:1971 births