- The ODM-Four are set to reign as officials on Wednesday.
- The nominees will appear before vetting panel from Thursday.
Image: ODM/X
Orange Democratic Movement nominees to President William Ruto’s Cabinet will Wednesday formally resign from their positions in the party ahead of the vetting.
Cabinet Secretary nominees Hassan Joho (Blue Economy), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum) and John Mbadi (Treasury) were top officials in the opposition party.
Both Joho and Oparanya were ODM deputy party leaders while Mbadi who heads to Treasury was the national party chairman.
Ugunja MP Wandayi was the ODM Secretary for Political Affairs.
The law currently only bars a Cabinet Secretary from being an official of the party, he or she can however remain being a party member.
This means that the four will remain as lifetime members of the ODM Party even as they serve in the broad-based government.
Article 77 (2) of the Constitution of Kenya states: ‘Any appointed state officer shall not hold office in a political party.’
Mbadi told the Star that they will tender their resignation ahead of the vetting that is scheduled to start Thursday for four days.
“It is actually not resigning from the party, we are supposed to resign from our positions in the party,” Mbadi told the Star on phone.
National Assembly's Committee on Appointments chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula is set to embark on the rigorous four-day examination starting Thursday.
Already, the MPs sitting in the powerful committee have warned it will not be business as usual during the exercise that is getting serious national scrutiny.
Suna East MP Junet Mohamed who is part of the panel said last week the nominees will be thoroughly vetted.
"This time in Parliament, I want to tell members who are my colleagues that vetting is not going to be business as usual. If somebody is not suitable, capable and doesn't have the capacity, we are going to throw them out,” Junet said.
“We must do justice to Kenyans. We must do our work properly this time."
The 20-member committee has released a schedule detailing the dates and times each of the 21 nominees is scheduled to appear.
At least four nominees are to be vetted each day.
The public has until Wednesday to submit any representations they may have regarding any of the nominees.
The Star has established that at least three petitions have been filed against the nominees. The Star was however not able to get the details.
Interior Cabinet Secretary nominee Kithure Kindiki will be the first to face the vetting panel on August 1, at 8am, followed by Debra Mlongo (Health) at 10am, Alice Wahome of the Lands docket at 12pm, Migos Ogamba (Education) at 3pm and Soipan Tuya (Defence) 5pm.
On August 2, the committee will vet nominees Andrew Mwihia (Agriculture) at 8am, Aden Duale (Environment) at 10am, Eric Muuga (Water) at 12pm, Davis Chirchir (Transport) at 3pm and Margaret Ndung’u (ICT) at 5pm.
On August 3, John Mbadi (Treasury) at 8am, Salim Mvurya (Trade) at 10am, Rebecca Miano (Tourism) at 12pm, Opiyo Wandayi (Energy) at 3pm and Kipchumba Murkomen (Sports) will face the vetting committee at 5pm.
On August 4, Hassan Joho (Mining) at 8am, Alfred Mutua (Labour) at 10am, Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives)at 12pm, Justin Muturi (Public Service) at 3pm and Stella Lang’at (Gender) will be vetted at 5pm.