Group: Probe sacked Cabinet ministers, bar them from holding office
By Oliver Musembi, July 19, 2024The Cabinet Secretaries dismissed by President William Ruto should be investigated for graft and barred from holding public or state offices, a pressure group has demanded.
The discredited ministers had integrity issues and some had corruption cases or other criminal proceedings against them dropped soon after President Ruto took office, the National Integrity Alliance said in a statement.
“The dismissed Cabinet Secretaries should not hold public or state offices again. Their appointment process was flawed from the onset [and was] geared towards rewarding political cronies,” the group said.
“We are staring at the blatant disregard for leadership and integrity provisions as espoused by the Constitution, especially in the appointment and conduct of public officers.”
Noting that their appointment and conduct had eroded public trust in the administration of public affairs, the said dismissing them did not address the “deep-seated rot within our governance structures, for which he must take full responsibility”.
“While Ruto cited Article 152(5)(b), which [grants] him powers to dismiss Cabinet Secretaries, this provision does not provide grounds upon which the President makes his decision,” the group said.
“As such, we fear that the President might apply the same provision of law under Article 152(5) (a) to reassign his Cabinet Secretaries to different ministerial portfolios.”
The group added that the sackings and the resignation of Japhet Koome as Inspector General of Police must be accompanied by concrete measures and immediate actions to restore public confidence, and guarantee justice, accountability and integrity.
The organisation also proposed that the National Council on the Administration of Justice should initiate an independent enquiry and judicial review of all graft-related cases that were withdrawn by the chief public prosecutor against public officers appointed by Ruto.
The cases include some individuals appointed into key executive positions while facing graft cases running into billions of shillings.
“As such, the judicial review of dropped graft cases is crucial to ensure that the withdrawal of cases was conducted transparently and that justice is served without favouritism or political interference,” the group said.
The group referred to a recent judgment quashing the appointment of Antony Mwaura as chair of the Kenya Revenue Authority board.
Mwaura was appointed while facing corruption and economic crime charges.