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Former ICT boss at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission, James Muhati, is among the 10 Principal Secretary nominees to appear today before lawmakers for vetting in an exercise that will conclude on Friday.

Muhati was among the 51 people who were nominated by President William Ruto about a week ago and who will be vetted this week. If approved by the committee on Finance, Muhati will head the Economic Planning docket. The committee will also vet Chris Kiptoo for the National Treasury docket.

PSs are the accounting officers in ministries.

Various departmental committees of the National Assembly are set to vet the nominees this week following the conclusion of the vetting of Cabinet secretaries, which was done by committee on appointments chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula.

 The vetting begins after the National Assembly last week concluded the reconstitution of various House committees, which will spearhead the exercise.

Last week Wetang’ula directed the various committees to commence the exercise from November 14 to 18. “I direct the clerk of the National Assembly to take the necessary actions by notifying the nominees and general public, by placing an advert in daily newspapers and Parliament Website on time and place of the vetting.”

Others to appear before the departmental committee on Administration and Internal affairs are Julius Korir (Cabinet Affairs), Raymond Omollo (Interior and National Administration), and Aurella Rono (Parliamentary Affairs) while those to be vetted by the committee on Health include Peter Tum (Medical Services) and Joseph Mburu (Health Standards and Professional Management).

The departmental committee on agriculture will vet two nominees including Philip Kello Harsame (Crop development) and Harry Kimutai (Livestock development).

Clerk of the National Assembly Samuel Njoroge told the nominees to bring originals of their identity cards, academic and professional certificates and other relevant testimonials. Nominees are also expected to obtain letters/certificates of clearance/compliance from the Ethics and Anti Corruption, Kenya Revenue Authority, the Higher Education Loans Board, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the office of the Registrar of Political Parties.

Table their report

Members of the public had until last Friday to submit any representations they had of the said candidates. The committees must table reports in the House for either approval or rejection by November 24.

The vetting   begins just days after a petition was filed at the High Court seeking to stop the vetting by Parliament and the swearing-in of the PSs.