Conduct rigorous vetting, not favours

Kenyans are full of anticipation mixed with apprehension, wondering whether MPs will for once rise to the occasion and approve individuals of high integrity and competence to serve in President William Ruto’s Cabinet.

Vetting of nominees for Cabinet Secretary that began yesterday and saw five of the 22 candidates quizzed comes barely a month after angry young Kenyans stormed Parliament to kick out legislators over their dalliance with the Executive and  disengament from the masses.

The scrutiny should therefore be an opportunity for lawmakers to redeem their tainted credibility, regain public confidence and embark on a new beginning.

Kenyans are following the proceedings keenly, and are not expecting just a routine approval of the nominees but a rigorous and thorough vetting.

As the US embassy said, MPs have the obligation to ensure that individuals nominated not only hold the required qualifications and integrity but are also men and women with the capacity to help the President deliver on his agenda and vision.

To end lingering doubts in the minds of Kenyans, MPs must therefore ensure the vetting is devoid of the usual Executive interference, horse-trading and tribal considerations.

The 13th Parliament will go down in history as the House where the interests of Kenyans mattered less than MPs pushing for the interests of the Executive and their own.

Too many times MPs have let President Ruto have his way, effectively turning lawmakers into cheerleaders for the Executive.

In September 2023, MPs conspired to overturn a memorandum proposing an eight percent fuel levy after the House failed to raise a quorum. This has seen Kenyans pay more for fuel products.

In the same year, MPs allowed a proposal by the President to have the Kenya National Shipping Line and a Swiss firm jointly run the second container terminal in Mombasa.

It is this same Parliament that enacted laws that ended up being overturned by courts due to their unconstitutionality.  A clear case in mind is the controversial 2024 Finance Bill that has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal as unconstitutional, and null and void.

Observers will notice that very little scrutiny of candidates was deployed in yesterday’s interviews.