Nominees briefed ahead of vetting

By Cyrus Ombati and boniface ongeri

Uhuru, Ruto’s picks taken through the Public Appointments Act under which they will be vetted

The Cabinet Secretaries nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta have undergone a rigorous briefing ahead of vetting by Parliamentary.

The 16 secretaries were Friday briefed by technocrats from the Office of the President led by Head of Public Service Francis Kimemia.

Officials said some of the material they are required to submit to the parliamentary vetting committee this week include published writings and their titles, publishers and dates of books, articles, reports letters to the editor, editorial pieces or other published materials they have authored or edited.

Others include testimonials on their education, employment record, honors and awards and memberships to professional associations and other bodies.

The nominees were taken through the Public Appointments Act on how they need to conduct themselves and what is expected of them once they are vetted and approved by Parliament.

Vetting guidelines

The Act provides guidelines for vetting of appointees to public office by a parliamentary committee.

The briefing was essentially meant to acquaint the nominees with the questionnaire used by the committee to vet appointments to public office arising by or under the Constitution or any other law.

The law provides that the form shall be filled and submitted by the nominee to the relevant parliamentary committee through the Clerk of the relevant House of Parliament on or before a date set by the committee.

“The submission of false information in the questionnaire is an offence and may result in prosecution. While any form of canvassing by a nominee shall lead to disqualification,” it says in part.

Article 15 of the Act dwells on education and states that a nominee should list, in reverse chronological order, each university, college, or any other institution of higher education attended and indicate, in respect of each, the dates of attendance, academic award obtained, whether a degree was awarded, and the dates on which each such degree was awarded.

The employment record should also list in reverse chronological order all Government agencies, business or professional corporations, companies, firms or other enterprises with which a nominee has been affiliated as an officer, director, partner, proprietor, employee or consultant.

The nominees will also be required to give four copies of any reports, memoranda or policy statements they prepared or contributed in the preparation of any bar association, committee, conference or organisation of which you were a member.

President’s prerogative

Meanwhile, immediate former Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim has defended the Jubilee Government over its nominees to the Cabinet Secretaries posts.

He said the opposition had no right to tell President Uhuru Kenyatta who to pick to serve in his Government.

Maalim, who unsuccessfully contested for the Garissa Senate seat on CORD ticket, said the opposition’s  work is limited to monitoring how the Jubilee coalition govern and safeguarding against violation of the Constitution.

“The more mistakes the Government makes, the easier it will be for us to wrestle power from them in future”, he said.

He also defended inclusion of former Cabinet Ministers Charity Ngilu and Najib Balala in the line-up.

Ngilu served in the Ministry of Water where she is accused of being involved in impropriety.

“We cannot talk of integrity when we have no evidence. The communities in Eastern where she is accused of impropriety fully deserved the water because of dire need”, he said.

He said to have a government of technocrats only was impossible as every Kenyan has a political inclination.

At the same time, Maalim paid tribute to the late Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo, describing him as  a brilliant legal mind.

“When we were in dire need of constitutional interpretations we sought Mutula. He was in his own league together with the late Bonaya Godana”, Maalim said.