Eyes on CS vetting panel as MPs retreat to write report

National Assembly's Committee on Appointments faces a herculean task as it retreats to write its report after concluding the vetting of the 20 Cabinet Secretary nominees.

The committee chaired by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula is expected to table its report within a week after concluding the vetting on Sunday.

Once tabled, the plenary can amend the report to clear a nominee or block anyone already cleared by the committee during debate.

The vetting process comes against the backdrop of an aggressive push by Kenyans to ensure only leaders of integrity join the Cabinet.

The dissolution of the previous Cabinet by President Wiliam Ruto followed weeks of sustained protests from Kenyans who demanded far-reaching reforms including an overhaul of the Cabinet.

The protests led by Generation Zoomers (Gen Z) and millennials forced the President to fire 11 of his former CSs as part of his concessions.

The committee has its work cut out after the vetting process exposed a myriad of issues that questioned the suitability of some of the nominated CSs.

The committee will pore through the documents submitted by the nominees, examine memoranda submitted by Kenyans who raised integrity issues and review the responses by the nominees.

It is after a thorough examination of all the paperwork submitted that they will make a determination on the suitability of each of President Ruto’s nominees to the Cabinet.

During the approval hearings held in public at County Hall, the committee heard from Kenyans through submissions how some of the nominees had breached the integrity test.

According to a statement from Wetang'ula, the committee received over 1,300 submissions from Kenyans who raised issues with some of the CS nominees.

The submissions either generally opposed the appointment of one or more nominees, are repetitive, support the nominees or are unrelated to the process, Wetang’ula said.

Alleged shady dealings, unresolved cases, questionable conduct and weak track records were the highlights of the issues raised by Kenyans who objected to the nomination of some of the CSs nominees.

Former Governors Hassan Joho (Mombasa) Wycliffe Oparanya (Kakemega) and former Tourism CS Alfred Mutua were among the nominees who were confronted with questions on integrity during vetting.

Kenyans raised concerns about Joho -the Mining and Blue Economy CS nominee- over his academic qualifications and conflict of interest.

Oparanya, the CS nominee for Cooperatives, on the other hand, faced questions about why he wanted to join the Cabinet at a time when he was battling integrity issues regarding alleged corruption.

Mutua, the former Machakos governor and CS nominee for Labour and Social Protection, faced concerns about his past public pronouncements.

Regarding questions on his educational background, Joho clarified that he started working before pursuing higher education later in life.

Joho admitted that he scored a D- in KCSE even but explained that he has since "turned it around" and attained two degrees.

The former Mombasa governor told of his career path saying he is presently on the path to attaining a Master’s Degree at the prestigious Havard Kennedy School of Government.

“It is a programme on public leadership credentials. It is a pathway to attain a mid-career master's degree in public administration,” he told the vetting panel. 

Mutua denied knowing Judy Chepchirchir, the CEO of First Choice Employment Agency.

He was responding to a question by a member about his relations with the CEO where he is said to have introduced her to the President at an event at KICC.

Chepchirchir is the lady who was at the center of the controversial overseas employment agency in Uasin Gishu in August 2023.

Appearing for vetting, Mutua explained that he only met her for the first time at an event attended by President William Ruto at KICC “and from there, I have never met her again”. 

“We had a function at KICC where we had different stands, that of the Foreign Affairs was next to that of Labour and I had never met this,” he said.

“The minister then was showcasing the programmes they had and when the President came we were told to combine the two issues of labour because of Diaspora at that time...I was there with my PS and others and I was introducing the President to the people who were presenting and if you watch the clip, I didn’t even know her name and she introduced herself,” Mutua said.

Oparanya claimed that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has never called him to record a statement regarding any corruption allegations.

He told the Committee on Appointments that he has never been involved in corruption and if approved, the Cooperatives' money will be safe in his hands.

Oparanya, however, stated that he went to the Integrity Centre to collect his children's phones which he alleged had been taken by people who identified themselves as EACC detectives.

"While there, I did not record any statement. They gave me the phones after hours," he claimed.

"Nobody has come to me to write a statement. I have never been given a chance to tell my story."

The former Kakamega governor said he served diligently for 10 years, being a minister in five years, adding that he has had audit reports with none pointing to him as a person of interest.

Wetang’ula promised that the committee will ensure thorough scrutiny of the submissions by the nomionees.

“I want to assure the Kenyan public that the Committee on Appointments shall thoroughly scrutinise each submission made with regard to the approval hearings,” he said.

He noted that 187 of the submissions were in the form of the affidavits contemplated under section 6(9) of the Act.

Interior CS nominee Kithure Kindiki was the first to take the hot seat at 8 am on Thursday.

Others who were vetted on the same day were Debra Mlongo (Health), Alice Wahome (Lands), Julius Migos Ogamba (Education) and Rosalinda Soipan Tuya (Defence).

Lined up for last Friday were Andrew Mwihia (Agriculture); Aden Duale (Environment); Eric Muuga (Water); Davis Chirchir (Transport) and Margaret Ndung’u (ICT).

On Saturday, it was the turn of John Mbadi (Treasury); Salim Mvurya (Trade); Rebecca Miano (Tourism); Opiyo Wandayi (Energy) and Kipchumba Murkomen (Sports).

The final day of the vetting process on Sunday saw Joho (Mining), Mutua (Labour), Oparanya (Cooperatives) and Muturi (Public Service) face the vetting panel.