Voting in Kenya indicates heavy toll in the Cabinet

In early returns from Kenya's one-party state elections held Monday, three Cabinet chiefs - the ministers of lands, commerce, and labor - and four deputy ministers lost their seats. The poll clearly reflected deep voter discontent with the government of Daniel arap Moi.

President Moi said he called the election a year early because he wanted to rid his administration of men ''whose primary ambition is to go to Parliament to make money, assume power, and gain authority and influence.'' But his campaign pledge was little different from his anticorruption call when he took office in 1978. Most observers feel that Mr. Moi's real reason for calling an election was to consolidate his own position after an abortive coup in August last year.