Speaker clears way for Education CS Kaimenyi impeachment motion

A process that could lead to the impeachment of Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi kicked off in the National Assembly yesterday following clearance by the Speaker.However, to achieve the objective sought by an Opposition MP who has already collected signatures from 96 MPs, the motion must first garner the numbers necessary to sail through as per House rules.

Among the claims made against him are the alleged arrogance he showed to the committee of the House, scrapping of ranking in exams, and failure to implement the laptops project for Standard One pupils as per the Jubilee pre-election pledge.

Education Cabinet Secretary Jacob Kaimenyi's tenure in Government may soon come to an end if the National Assembly marshals the numbers to impeach him following sanctioning of the debate by Speaker Justin Muturi.

The debate that could determine Prof Kaimenyi's fate got underway yesterday. It could be the biggest storm he is facing after being thrust onto the public platform by his appointment in 2013.

The House will discuss a motion seeking Kaimenyi's removal within seven days. Should one-third (at least 117) of the MPs support it, the House will form a select committee to investigate the claims made against the CS.

Among the issues the MPs would debate when the motion is tabled include Kaimenyi's role in the botched procurement of laptops for Standard One pupils, abolishing of the school ranking system and his perceived arrogance towards the House Education committee. The committee will have 10 days to substantiate the claims.

If the team recommends his removal and a majority of MPs back the resolution that President Uhuru Kenyatta dismisses him, it could mark the exit of the CS, who was Kenya's first consultant periodontist at the Dental Unit in 1985.

Education Cabinet Secretary Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi delivers a speech during the opening of the East Africa Education Conference at a Nairobi hotel. (PHOTO: DAVID NJAAGA)

The motion comes at a time his relations with representatives of teachers' unions have worsened, and on the back of Tuesday's court judgement that awarded teachers a big salary increase. Kaimenyi indicated the Government would appeal the decision and yesterday the Teachers Service Commission cast doubt on its implementation.

In the National Assembly, Matayos MP Geoffrey Odanga gave notice of the motion after 96 MPs appended their signatures to back the quest to have Kaimenyi sacked.

Odanga claimed he enjoys the support of majority members of the Education committee. "I have also spoken to various stakeholders who want to see Kaimenyi go. My motion is mainly based on gross violation of the Constitution and gross misconduct," explained the MP.

The MP has trained his guns on the educations boss, claiming that through various acts of omission and commission, the CS has failed to effectively steer the ministry during his tenure.

But Education Committee Chairperson Sabina Chege (Murang'a) argued the committee's position on the motion would be determined by the weight of the issues raised.

Political interests

"As a committee we will look at the motion and if we feel that the matters raised are weighty, then we will make our position clear. But I can tell you that as a committee we do not have a position at the moment. But it is the member's right to bring a motion against the CS if he feels that," she said.

The  notice of motion also cites numerous issues, including poor management of educational institutions.

"... deeply concerned that he has allowed many educational institutions to operate without boards of management, contrary to Section 6 of the Education Act 2007, has discriminated against children with special needs by failing to disburse requisite funding to registered institutions, has treated the National Assembly Committee on Education with contempt by failing to honour meetings and summons, failing to send apologies in time and failing to implement resolutions agreed upon in violation of article 125 (1) of the Constitution ...," read the raft of charges against the CS.

Muturi directed that the House Business Committee gives the issue priority. "I wish to report that a notice of motion has been received from the member for Matayos. I have approved the motion and the House Business Committee has since been notified in order to have the matter prioritised," said the Speaker.

"As members, we will look at it and see the issues he has against the CS," said Mary Seneta (Kajiado), also a member of the committee.

Odanga has vowed  to go all the way, and also sought to dispel notions his motion could go the way of the one by Mithika Linturi (Igembe South) that had sought to impeach Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru. Linturi's motion collapsed after it was reportedly infiltrated by partisan political interests and he failed to turn up in the House to move it.

"I have had this motion since March this year. It is not a Jubilee or CORD (Coalition for Reforms and Democracy) motion. It is a matter that affects teachers, children and parents of this country. We don't have CORD or Jubilee (coalition) children," said Odanga.

"I believe these are honourable members. I'm sure that they will go with me all the way," he said.