Vetting of Principal Secretaries set to kick off next week

By Vitalis Kimutai

Nairobi, Kenya: The 26 Principal Secretaries nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto will be vetted by parliament for three days starting Monday next week.

The list of the nominees was Tuesday tabled in parliament with Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi directing that the vetting be from June 17 to 19 by the various parliamentary committees.

“I direct that the reports on the vetting be tabled in the House on June 20 in accordance with the law,” Muturi stated.

Five of the nominees are likely to have it rough during the vetting and when the list comes up for debate in parliament owing to the fact that they had not been shortlisted for the final interviews by the Public Service Commission (PSC) chaired by Professor Margaret Kobia.

The five – Mutea Iringo (Interior and Coordination of National Government), Fred Segor (Health), Joseph Musuni Tiampati (Information and Communication), Karanja Kibicho (Foreign Affairs) and John Konchella (Devolution) had not been shortlisted by PSC but were picked for the position contrary to the law.

Majority of them had applied for the positions when the PSC extended the window for those interested to seek the positions in what raised issues with claims the Principals were keen on bringing on board some of those who had lost in the March 4 general election.

Extension of the application window kicked off a storm with PSC being accused of flouting the law.

The other nominees are – Dr Kamau Thuuge  (Treasury), James Tekoo Mokoyotang (Ministry of Water), Nduva Muli  (Transport) John Mosonik (Infrastructure), Sicily Kariuki (Agriculture) Monica Juma (Defence) and  Khadija Kassachoon (Ministry Of Livestock),Patrick Omutia (Sports Culture and the Art), Ibrahim Mohamed (Commerce and Tourism), Joseph Njoroge (Energy and Petroleum), Sicily Kariuki (Agriculture), Belio Kipsang (Education), Wilson Wesonga (Industrialization and Enterprise Development), and Mariamu Maawy for Land Ministry.

Others are - Peter Oganga (Planning Ministry), Richard Ekai (Mining), Engineer John Kipngentich Mosonik (Infrastructure), Joseph Lopoyetum (Water), Prof Akinyi Suda (Science and Technology.

Three of the nominees – Kibicho, Iringo and Ntiba were Permanent Secretaries under former President Mwai Kibaki’s administration and have been retained along former Head of Civil Service Francis Kimemia who is now the Secretary to the Cabinet.

Suba MP John Mbadi has criticized the manner in which the President and his Deputy picked the nominees for the key positions in government.

Mbadi said the list did not meet the minimum constitutional requirement on gender parity and parliament should reject it.

“Any appointive position, you must have at least a third of either gender. The list of seven women is unacceptable as the minimum requirement should be nine female nominees,” Mbadi said.

Mr George Kithi, a constitutional lawyer said it was not likely that parliament will check the executive as of now as they will rubber stamp the list of the nominees from State House in order to please the President.

“If the rest have been subjected into interviews who are you not to undergo the same process? It is clear that the President broke the law” Kithi wondered.