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All eyes will be on members of a key committee in the National Assembly as MPs convene this week to vet President William Ruto’s nominees for his new Cabinet.

The first hurdle for the nominees will be at the Committee on Appointments, which is chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, where voting patterns will largely shape the outcome of the final vetting report.

Many Kenyans will be watching to see whether members will rise to the occasion and deliver a verdict similar to those that followed previous such assignments or differ with the appointing authority and reject some of the nominees.

Golden opportunity

Parliament has in the past been accused of kowtowing to the Executive, with MPs approving the names of nominees with dubious qualifications or those with integrity queries.

“MPs have a golden opportunity to redeem the image of the National Assembly when they vet Cabinet Secretary nominees,” Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni said recently.

He added: “MPs should rise above partisanship and conduct thorough and impartial hearings to give Kenyans competent CSs. The vetting exercise will make no sense when Parliament converts itself into a rubber stamp of the Executive.”

Over 500 memoranda had been presented to the Clerk’s office and many more were expected before the closing date this Friday.

“We have received over 500 memos from Kenyans in relation to the matter before the committee. We will continue receiving them up to the deadline day. The doors are open to all,” said National Assembly Clerk Samuel Njoroge.

ODM leaders are also expected to appoint a replacement for one of its members, National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi, who by virtue of his position sits on the appointments committee. Wandayi is among four ODM lawmakers that President  Ruto nominated to the Cabinet.

The committee consists of the Speaker as chairperson, the deputy Speaker, the leader of the majority party, the leader of the minority party, the deputy leaders of the majority and minority parties, and not more than 22 other members nominated by the House Business Committee on the basis of proportional party membership in the House, taking into account the numerical strength of the parties and the interests of independent members. Its membership is appointed by the House.

Opposition divisions

The committee is appointed within seven days of a new House assembling and serves for three years, and one appointed thereafter serves for the remainder of the term of the assembly. In the absence of the Speaker, the committee elects a member of the panel to chair the meeting.

The committee is mandated to consider for approval by the House appointments under Articles 152(2) (Cabinet secretaries).

The quorum of the committee is one-half of the members, but the Speaker is not counted for the quorum purposes and does not vote.

Wetang’ula chairs the committee and Deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei is its vice chairperson.

Committee members include Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Wandayi, Owen Baya, Robert Mbui, Rahab Mukami, Dido Raso and Gitonga Murugara.

Others are David Gikaria, Ferdinand Wanyonyi, Mary Emaase, Rahim Dawood, Junet Mohamed, Caleb Amisi, Stephen Mule, Nelson Koech, Abdi Shurie, Naisula Lesuuda, David Pkosing and Mishi Mboko.

The vetting of Ruto’s nominees comes as a sharp split has emerged in the Azimio la Umoja coalition in the National Assembly.

At the heart of the latest divide is a directive issued by Azimio la Umoja coalition co-Principal Kalonzo Musyoka to his Wiper party MPs to reject the four nominees from the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM).

It coincides with a threat from ODM lawmakers, mainly from the former Western province, to reject the four nominees from their party on the grounds that their nominations did not have the party’ blessings.

The four ODM nominees are nominated MP John Mbadi, former Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya, former Mombasa governor Ali Hassan Joho and Wandayi.

“Those four names [Mbadi, Oparanya, Joho and Wandayi], when they come to Parliament for vetting, Wiper members should vote ‘No’,” Kalonzo told Wiper legislators in Mwingi North constituency, Kitui County, at the weekend.

Kalonzo wondered how the four nominees would work in a government that they strongly opposed on the grounds that it was oppressing Kenyans.

He questioned the sincerity of ODM leaders in making the appointments without informing him, saying Wandayi is Azimio’s minority whip in the National Assembly.

“I was never consulted on this matter. They even appointed the majority leader in the National Assembly without having the courtesy of informing me that the leadership in Parliament will be affected,” Kalonzo said.

Another member of the appointments committee, Amisi (Saboti), has also denounced the inclusion of ODM members on the list and vowed to reject their nomination.

Addressing reporters at Parliament buildings, Amisi, with Western region MPs Nabii Nabwera (Lugari), Oundo Mudenyo (Funyula) and Innocent Mugabe (Likuyani) openly disapproved of the quartet’s nominations, saying the selections lacked the blessings of the party leadership.

They vowed to reject the nominations when vetting starts, a position supported by Embakasi East MP Babu Owino.

President Ruto has defended his choice of nominees for his Cabinet, saying it represents the face of Kenya and will help him carry out his government’s flagship projects.

Addressing residents in Bura, Mwatate constituency, Ruto defended his decision to include opposition leaders in his Cabinet.

He said recent events had allowed him to review his priorities and bring everyone on board.

“As a democratic nation, we should rise above party and ethnic politics for our country to move forward. That is why I have decided to form a more inclusive government as many Kenyans have requested,” he said.