Split widens over President Uhuru Kenyatta’s political appointees

By Paul Wafula

Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta’s latest appointment of parastatal heads from a list of politicians continues to draw mixed reactions from across the country.

MPs were last evening divided over the matter, with Moses Lessonet, the chairman of the National Assembly’s Committee on the Constituencies Development Fund (CDF) terming the selection of former presidential contender Abduba Dida as illegal.

MPs Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache South) and Timothy Bosire (Kitutu Masaba) castigated the Jubilee government for ignoring the youth by rewarding those who lost in the pols; mainly the old guard.

However, MPs Elisha Busienei (Turbo) and Jackson Kiptanui (Keiyo south) supported the appointments, urging critics to allow the president to reorganise the government.

Lesonet, who is also the Eldama Ravine MP, said Dida’s appointment is null and void because it had not been approved by Parliament.

“Such appointments require parliamentary approval and we hope the Executive will realise this and correct it. The President must send the name to Parliament before it is gazetted. So the way it has been done now is irregular,” Lesonet said in an interview yesterday.

Dida, who came in fifth in the 2013 presidential election, was appointed through a special gazette notice dated December 31 by Uhuru. He will replace Jennifer Nafula Barasa.

The CDF now distributes Sh21.97 billion among the 290 constituencies.

According to the CDF Act 2013, it is the Devolution Cabinet Secretary who is supposed to appoint the fund’s board chairman, and not the president.

But the law provides that the CS pick the chairman from a list of four board members, approved by Parliament.

“The names and curriculum vitae of the persons nominated to be appointed as members of the Board…. shall be submitted to Parliament for approval before appointments are made,” the act reads in part.

What is also not clear is why the President gave Dida only eight months, from January 10 to September 9, yet the tenure of the chair, according to the law, is three years.

The law reads: “Chairperson or a member of the Board other than ex-officio members shall… hold office for a period of three years, on such terms and conditions as may be specified in the instrument of appointment, but shall be eligible for appointment for not more than two terms.’

Election losers

Last November, Uhuru defended Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu when she was forced to withdraw her appointment of a director general in her ministry after Parliament termed the appointment unconstitutional, illegal and unprocedural.

Dida is among 10 other leaders who lost in the last elections but were cherry-picked by Uhuru to chair boards of State corporations.

Yesterday, North Rift MPs were joined by two bishops in supporting the appointments and urging Kenyans to be patient to allow the Government to organise itself for effective service delivery.

“Everyone has his or her own opinion but for me, I fully support the appointments. People should be patient and give the Government time to perform,” said Kiptanui.

Kiptanui said there are many State agencies and parastatals yet to be filled and every part of the country would be covered once the boards of directors were in place.

MP Busienei said appointment of officials who once served in government was right because they are experienced.

“We want one united Kenya and should not be talking only about two parties. All will be brought on board because the appointments are balanced,” Busienei said.

Elders from the Sabaot community who reside in both Bungoma and Trans-Nzoia counties lauded the Jubilee government for naming two of their kinsmen to plum government positions.

Community interests

The elders commended President Uhuru for appointing Fred Kapondi and Prof Alex Chemtai as chairmen of boards in State corporations, but asked the state to consider more members from their marginalised community for the remaining appointments.

But MPs Onyonka and Bosire said the appointment of elderly and retired politicians at the expense of the youth was taking Kenyans for a ride.

Speaking at Nyaikuro Primary School in his constituency, Bosire accused the Jubilee government of going back on its manifesto, which emphasised youth issues, citing the appointments as a case in point.

“We have young educated professors in this country that should get these appointments. It is mischievous to appoint grandfathers in positions where grandchildren should work. Their action is an abuse to wananchi who accepted to vote for them on the basis of their manifesto,” charged Bosire.

The legislator said the appointments did not reflect the face of Kenya.

“We may be on opposite political sides, but the actions of top Jubilee leaders demonstrate double speak, which destroys the very foundation of democracies in the world. The manner of doing business in Government conspicuously manifests tribalism ,which is wrong,” he added.