Speaker Muturi invites views on nine Uhuru nominees before vetting

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi addressing the media at Parliament on Thursday January 25 [Boniface Okendo,Standard]

Nine nominees for the position of Cabinet Secretary will be vetted on Thursday and Friday next week, according to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.

The Opposition has indicated it will boycott the exercise even as President Uhuru Kenyatta works to constitute his Cabinet.

Yesterday, Mr Muturi asked Kenyans to submit their memoranda to the Committee on Appointments within the next seven days.

“We have published the names of the nominees and we want to ask Kenyans to present their views in the next seven days. We will close the receiving of views at 5pm on February 7,” he said.

Margaret Kobia (Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs), John Munyes (Petroleum and Mining), Monica Juma (Foreign Affairs), Farida Karoney (Lands) and Peter Munya (East African Community) will be interviewed on Thursday, February 8.

Simon Chelgui (Water and Sanitation), Rashid Achesa (Sports), Ukur Yattany (Labour) and Keriako Tobiko (Environment) will be vetted the next day.

But the National Super Alliance (NASA) has reiterated that it will not participate in vetting individuals nominated by Uhuru to his new Cabinet.

NASA maintains it does not recognise Uhuru as President and cannot therefore sit to vet his nominees.

Muturi said he had yesterday morning received a communication from National Assembly Leader of Minority John Mbadi confirming the decision, a letter Mr Mbadi confirmed.

“I wrote to the Speaker this morning reiterating our position of not participating in the vetting,” said Mbadi.

Muturi said they would go on with the exercise since they could not force NASA to participate against their wish.

This as Muturi defended the vetting committee – that has been left with members drawn from the ruling Jubilee coalition – against perceptions that the exercise will be improper because of the NASA boycott.

Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai was expected to write to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC),  Kenya Revenue Authority, Higher Education Loans Board and Kenya National Examinations Council for information about the nine.

Assured nominees

The anti-corruption commission assured the nominees that their vetting would be objective and independent.

Chairman Eliud Wabukala said the vetting was being done in accordance with requirements of Chapter Six of the Constitution.

“Following the nomination of persons proposed for appointment to various State offices, the Commission has noted with concern a trend where some people get into the habit of spreading malicious rumours with the aim of tarnishing or maligning some of the nominees as well as staff of the Commission,” said Mr Wabukala.