President Uhuru Kenyatta makes key parastatal appointments

NAIROBI: President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed Nzioka Waita as his Deputy Chief of Staff. The President also made several changes in State corporations that saw former minister Franklin Bett appointed chairman of the Agricultural Finance Corporation for three years.

The President appointed Katwa Kigen chairman of the Unclaimed Assets Authority for three years, while Mathew Iteere was appointed chairman of Nyayo Tea Zones Development Authority. Dr Julius Kones will now chair the National Water Conservation and Pipeline Corporation, with Dr James Mwangi chairing Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board.

The changes also saw Christopher Foot become chairman of Kenya Film Commission Board, while Silas Muriuki was appointed chairman of Local Authorities Provident Fund. According to State House, Mr Waita, who served as Safaricom director of corporate affairs director, before joining civil service in 2015, will deputise Mr Joseph Kinyua, the Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service.

His mandate will include “but not limited to delivery of key flagship projects, performance contracting, managing co–ordination of the president’s fiscal priorities in liaison with the Ministry of National Treasury and effective oversight of State corporations,” said State House Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu.

The appointment of Waita comes barely two weeks after the bungled process of appointing a tribunal to probe suspended Supreme Court Judge Philip Tunoi. The flip-flopping by State House operatives exposed the dysfunction of the President’s advisory system. First, Kinyua in a letter dated February 19, turned down the Judicial Service Commission’s petition to the President to set up a tribunal to probe the embattled Justice Tunoi. Not even a single day passed before the President made an about turn and appointed the tribunal.

Mr Bett’s appointment comes a few days after helping Jubilee candidate Aaron Cheruiyot clinch the Kericho senate seat in last Monday’s by-election. Bett, a former Bureti MP, yesterday said he was yet to receive official communication over his alleged appointment.

“I am in the farm. I have only heard that the news is circulating in social media but I have not received official communication about the appointment,” he said.

- Additional reporting by Nikko Tanui