CORD warns one of its MPs against taking a cabinet secretary job

Mining Cabinet Secretary Dan Kazungu. [PHOTO:DAVID NJAAGA /STANDARD]

CORD has warned one of its MPs against taking up a job as a minister in the Jubilee administration.

Leader of Minority in the National Assembly Francis Nyenze (Kitui West) told Dan Kazungu (Malindi) that he should think twice before taking up the post of Cabinet Secretary for Mining

Nyenze doled out the “friendly” counsel to the first-time lawmaker as he noted that with elections slated for August 8, 2017, Kazungu would barely have 18 months to serve in the ministry. He said Kazungu was quitting the relative safety of the Legislature to join the unpredictable Executive, serving at the pleasure of the President.

“Considering that we have only one year and six months to elections, I fear for you that as a CORD member, you are jumping from a very secure job to go to the unknown for a very short period,” said Nyenze.

The Minority Leader was speaking at County Hall during the vetting of seven nominees to the Cabinet. The vetting was done by the Committee on Appointments, which is chaired by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.

But Kazungu insisted he was ready to serve the country in the Cabinet.

“Sometimes, a man chooses the moment and sometimes the moment chooses the man. I went to Malindi to serve my people, and I will always be their son and their leader. But I am a Kenyan. If I get an opportunity to serve my nation, even for two or three months, that is something great for me. This is a higher calling. That is patriotism,” said Kazungu.

The MP said he had consulted widely.

Asked what is his long-term goal and whether he would join Jubilee for the next election, Kazungu said his appointment had nothing to do with politics.

Also questioned about his political loyalty was Mwangi Kiunjuri (nominee for Devolution and Planning), who was a party leader of the GNU party.

Kiunjuri said he campaigned for the President and was loyal to the Jubilee administration.

“I resigned on January 8, 2014 as party leader of GNU. Prior to that, I had campaigned for Jubilee. I lost. I conceded,” said Kiunjuri.