Members of Parliament face an acid test as they start vetting President William Ruto’s nominees to his Cabinet, amid pressure from the public to show impartiality.
Multiple sources confided in People Daily that MPs were considering rejecting two or three of President William Ruto’s nominees over integrity queries as they seek to redeem their soiled image.
While the Committee on Appointments was also said to be keen to assert its authority without external interference, it remained divided mainly by indications that already three of the members would reject the nominees.
Two Wiper party members – Robert Mbui and Stephen Mule – have been directed by the party leadership not to approve four ODM nominees, while Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has declared that he will vote against the nominees.
And in the plenary, the nominees will face a similarly divided Parliament, going by the statements some of them have been making outside the House.
Human rights abuses
The vetting will start this morning with Interior Cabinet Secretary-nominee Kithure Kindiki at 8am.
The second to appear before the committee chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula will be Debra Barasa (Health) followed by Alice Wahome (Lands), Julius Ogamba (Education) and Soipan Tuya (Defence), in that order.
Kindiki will have to defend himself against allegations by human rights groups that he ordered or failed to stop the killings and abductions of protesters in the recent demonstrations in parts of Kenya.
The conduct of security personnel during youth-led protests, which resulted in the killings of over 50 young people and abductions, will dominate the session with the panel.
His handling of cattle rustling in the Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo, Laikipia, Elgeyo Marakwet and Samburu counties will also come up.
But the CS, in a statement, said he had achieved plenty with the lean budget his ministry was allocated, adding that he had spent considerable time visiting the six North Rift Valley counties.
Peacebuilding efforts
The Maliza Uhalifu Operation, led by the National Police Service in partnership with the Kenya Defence Forces, has largely been successful in silencing the guns in the counties.
“The CS has also been instrumental in peace building efforts in the banditry prone areas,” the statement said.
“These include building of peace schools at the border of volatile counties to enable children from conflicting communities to study and live together, therefore breeding a generation that is free from the psychology of livestock rustling.”
Kindiki said he had been instrumental in implementing strategies for thwarting terror attacks, through intelligence-led security operations in North Eastern and Upper Coastal areas. This, he said, had drastically reduced terror attacks in Lamu and Tana River counties.
Immigration reforms
He said there were significant achievements in immigration reforms in a department that was bogged down by a backlog of pending passport applications, leading to an uproar among citizens.
“The delays in [issuing] passports and other vital citizenship documents cost applicants job and education opportunities, as well untold suffering to persons seeking medical care abroad,” he states.
He has also faced challenges in the processing of national identity cards. Court cases and injunctions have made the delays worse.
Barasa will be asked to explain how she will resolve the innumerable challenges in the health sector.
Among them are perennial strikes involving doctors, nurses, clinical officers and medical interns.
Wahome will have to explain what she achieved during her short stint in the Lands ministry. She was minister of Water previously.
She may be required to shed light on a battle to control billions of shillings at the Athi Water Works Development Agency that escalated into a vicious boardroom dispute that led to her transfer to the Lands docket.
Ogamba, a lawyer with over 30 years’ experience in private practice, will be asked about how his experience will help him run Education ministry.
He is the chairman of the KenGen board. If MPs endorse him, he will take over the office previously held by Ezekiel Machogu, his running mate in the race for Kisii governor in the 2022 elections.
Soipan, picked for Defence, will be asked about what knowledge she has on the military.
The changes in government came after Ruto sent packing all his Cabinet secretaries following pressure from young people.
Ruto’s nominations included members of Opposition parties after their leaders agreed to work with him.
In the deal crafted between Ruto and Opposition leader Raila Odinga, it was understood that the ODM chief demanded about eight slots.
Some of the nominees named last week are Kindiki (Interior and National Coordination), Debra Mlongo (Health), Wahome (Lands), Ogamba (Education), Tuya (Defence), Andrew Mwihia (Agriculture), Aden Duale (Environment), Eric Muuga (Water), and Davis Chirchir (Transport).
The others are Margaret Ndung’u (ICT) John Mbadi (Treasury), Salim Mvurya (Trade), Rebecca Miano (Tourism), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy) Kipchumba Murkomen (Sports), Hassan Joho (Mining), Alfred Mutua (Labour), Wycliffe Oparanya (MSMEs), Justin Muturi (Public Service) and Stela Soi (Gender).
