Nairobi — The ball has been set rolling on the vetting of Cabinet Secretaries by the National Assembly following the approval of the Appointments Committee set to vet the 22 nominees.
In a notice motion moved by the Majority Leader Kimani Ichungwah on Wednesday, the house passed the 21 members of the committee which were appointed by the House Business Committee.
Following the approval by the House, the Appointments Committee chaired by the Speaker of the House and which also includes leaders of the Majority, Minority and their deputies will commence approval hearings and is expected to table its report in Parliament on or before October 27.
"We agreed unanimously on the names before the house and if you look at the names, they are not just seasoned but members who represent several interests to make sure we afford the people of Kenya an opportunity of a transparent process," said Ichungwah.
This is even as Azimio La Umoja One Kenya MPs promised a grueling vetting process for the 22 nominees after raising integrity questions in respect to some.
Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi asserted that in discharging their oversight role, the committee will ensure the dictates of the Constitution lock out nominees who fail the suitability test.
"We will take it upon ourselves to intensely interrogate each and every individual because this country each country has over 25 million members are adult who merit to hold public office," he stated.
"If the President brings the names of person who in the wisdom of the house don't pass the suitability test. We will tell the president that you have time to go back and pick from the 25 M Kenyans on those who can pass the test," Wandayi remarked.
Wandayi also pointed out that the appointment committee will look into the proposed 22-nominee cabinet and look into the requirement for gender, regional, ethnic balance and the plight of people living with disability.
"The committee must look at the whole package in context to ensure that it meets the tenets of the constitution. We must not lose of the dictates of the constitution," he averred.
Members named to the Appointments Committee from the Kenya Kwanza Alliance include Nelson Koech (Belgut), Rahab Wachira Mukami (Nyeri),Dido Ali Raso(Saku),George Gitonga Murugara(Tharaka), David Gikaria(Nakuru East),Mary Emase (Teso South)and Ferdinand Wanyonyi (Kwanza).
Those from Azimio One Kenya Alliance include Junet Mohamed(Suna East), Caleb Amisi (Saboti), Stephen Mule (Matungulu) Abdi Shurie (Balambala) Naisula Lesuuda (Samburu West),David Pkosing(Pokot South), Mishi Mboko (Likoni).
Imenti North MP Abdul Rahim Dawood who is an independent candidate.
With Kenya Kwanza Alliance having a grip of the National Assembly in terms of numbers, it assumed that approval of the Cabinet Secretaries might be smooth sail despite resistance from the Azimio legislators.
Ichungwa however holds that the August House will not be swayed by external influence and hinderance by the Executive despite the notion by their rivals from the opposition.
"None of the cabinet secretaries' nominees is assured of their jobs until the house approves. Honorable Speaker it also important even as we approve those nominees its important that we change the standing orders so that those approved can appear before the house," the Majority Leader said.
"We will do our work to do meaningful oversight without fear or favour. Nobody will be coerced to take a certain position," he added.
Cabinet Secretaries whose nomination has been contested by a section of lawmakers include former Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa who has been nominated to the Public Service and Gender docket.
Jumwa is facing murder charges over the murder of 48-year-old Ngumbao Jola on October 15 blamed on an aide.
Former Meru Senator Mithika Linturi, nominee for agriculture, is accused of falsifying information, obtaining credit by false pretences, impersonation and abuse of office alongside one Emily Nkirote with whom they are shareholders at Atticon Limited.
Treasury CS nominee, Prof Njuguna Ndung'u, faces questions over his tenure as the Central Bank of Kenya Governor.
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During President Mwai Kibaki regime, MPs implicated Prof Ndung'u in the loss of more than Sh2 billion following the cancellation of a money printing contract awarded to De La Rue.
The Appointments Committee is required to undertake approval hearings on the nominees and produce a report to the House recommending the approval or rejection of the nominees within the statutory 28 days.
According to the timelines provided by House Speaker Moses Wetangula, the National Assembly has until November 3 to approve the Cabinet Secretary nominees and Attorney General nominee Justin Muturi, the immediate former Speaker.
Wetangula had earlier directed that the report on Cabinet nominees vetting be tabled on or before October 27 so that Parliament can debate and ultimately approve or reject some or all the names as envisaged in law.
The House will then adopt the Committee's report and communicate its decision to the President.
