Uhuru: More appointments on the way

President Uhuru Kenyatta waves to the crowd at the Eldoret Sports Club during a past thanksgiving for Joywo Women Group. [PHOTO: Peter Ochieng/ STANDARD]

By RAEL JELIMO and JOSEPH MUCHIRI

The raging debate on appointments continued as President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto scoffed at those criticising their decisions.

President Kenyatta broke his silence and told critics that he has made only 36 appointments with more than 100 left.

He said there are more positions of chairpersons, board members and chief executives to be appointed.

“The criticism is contrived. It is like fighting over morning dew yet the rains are coming,” Uhuru said in a statement through Munyori Buku, the head of the Department of External Communications and Media at State House.

He also defended the appointment of Amb Francis Muthaura saying he had served in the public service for over 10 years as Permanent Secretary at the Office of the President, head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet.

Logical failure

“How can his experience be querried in a position at Lapsset where he will deal not only with Kenya but also with Southern Sudan and Ethiopia?” asked Uhuru.

“What is the noise all about?”

The President laughed off claims that he was appointing elections losers as a logical failure and argued that there was no category of Kenyans called “election losers”.

“These are people with various abilities, back grounds and experience. Some have been Cabinet ministers, assistant ministers and other top position in government and private sectors,” he said.

Uhuru said a parastatal chairman’s position is not a full time job and together with board members, they draw Sh20,000 per sitting and that a board should not meet more than three times in one quarter.

Yesterday, Ruto wondered why most people were crying foul over small posts yet the Kalenjin community enjoys a host of big slots in government.

Ruto called on the Kalenjin community to be patient with the current government appointments and told off those who question them, terming them ‘petty’.

“We control the water, electricity and other dockets. Why should you be worried about small ones such as NACADA?” he pondered in Kalenjin dialect during the burial of former Kanu nominated MP Ezekiel Barng’etuny in Tinderet, Nandi County.

Begging nation

The Deputy President urged the locals to give him time to fight for their interests, saying that good things are in the offing for the larger Kalenjin community.

Cotu National Secretary General Francis Atwoli challenged the government to revisit the constitution, saying that the current jostle for slots is likely to hurt the fledgling economy. He noted that the ongoing appointments and quest for more pay by various sectors is an indicator that there is need to amend the constitution to suit the need of the common public.

“If we do not take action, we will become a begging nation by the end of three years,” he said.

The burial was attended by top government officials including former allies of the late Barngetuny who included, Mark Too, Nicholas Biwott, Zipporah Kittony among others.

Meanwhile, two senators and an MP have dismissed the public outcry and backlash emanating from President Uhuru’s recent appointment of parastatals heads.

Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, his Kajiado counterpart Peter Mositet and nominated MP Johnson Sakaja instead urged the dissenting voices to ask for development projects that change people’s lives.

Murkomen said there were more than 150 parastatal heads positions pending appointment hence there should be no worry over the recent 36 appointees.

Speaking in Nkumbo area, Tharaka Nithi County during dowry negotiations for TNA legal advisor Jasper Mbiuki, Murkomen asked the regions that feel forgotten to be patient as they will land the remaining appointments.

“In my home the most loved child is sent to herd goats and cattle when others go for a wedding. But during Christmas, this loved child gets the best clothes,” he said.

Lagging behind

Murkomen said that in previous regimes, there were people appointed to influential positions yet their areas still lagged behind.

“We had the most powerful man from our region for about 30 years but in Elgeyo Marakwet we have no university or tarmacked roads,” he said.

Sakaja said he will campaign for youths to be appointed to run parastatals as CEOs rather than directors. Mositet on his part advised the Meru community to desist from castigating the appointment of one of their own.

However their sentiments did not appease Maara MP Kareke Mbiuki and Tigania East MP Mburi Apuri who feel the Imenti sub-tribe has been favoured. Mbiuki said the appointments favoured Imenti sub-tribe and warned that if Imenti’s are happy there should be no assumption that others are.