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The National Assembly on Wednesday, December 11, 2024, distanced itself from a viral letter claiming that Fred Matiang’i, Mutahi Kagwe and Peter Munya had been fronted for Cabinet Secretary positions.

In a statement shared by the Parliament of Kenya, the widely shared letter was termed fake.

“This document is not from the National Assembly. It is fake,” the Parliament of Kenya said in a statement.

The faked document

The misleading document with National Assembly letterhead claimed that the names had been shared with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to confirm the eligibility of former Cabinet Secretaries who worked under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, to serve in the Kenya Kwanza administration.

According to the fake document Matiang’i was being considered for the Education Ministry, Kagwe for the health docket and Peter Munya for the Ministry of Agriculture.

Other names included in the faked document included Former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui (Water and Sanitation) and Anthony Mwaura (Roads and Transport).

“Pursuant to the constitutional mandate of ensuring integrity, transparency, and accountability in public service appointments, the Office of the Clerk of the National Assembly formally submits the following list of nominees for Cabinet positions for your review and vetting.

“In accordance with the provisions of Chapter Six of the Constitution of Kenya, your Commission is requested to conduct a thorough background check on the nominees to assess their compliance with the ethical and legal requirements for holding public office,” the faked document read in part.

“We kindly request that the findings of your vetting process be submitted to this office no later than Monday, 16th December 2024 to facilitate further action and ensure adherence to the stipulated timelines. Your cooperation in upholding the principles of ethical governance is greatly appreciated.

“We remain confident in the Commission’s commitment to transparency and accountability in safeguarding the public interest,” it added.

The document even without Parliament’s dismissal is fake as all cabinet secretaries are appointed by President William Ruto and then the names are presented before the National Assembly for consideration.

Moreover, Ruto has not hinted at reshuffling or reconstituting his cabinet after embracing the broad-based government approach where he brought on board a few members from the opposition to help him deliver on his mandate.

To avoid falling victim to misleading information, it is advisable to verify information from the official government pages and specific individuals tasked with relaying information such as State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei and Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura.