At least 30 assistant Kenyan ministers have written a letter to the president, complaining they have no work to do. “I just go to the office and read newspapers,” said Abu Chiaba, an assistant fisheries minister. His counterpart in the wildlife and tourism ministry said he learnt of policy decision in the press. President Mwai Kibaki promised a lean government when he took power in 2002, but instead increased the number of jobs to reward his coalition partners.