New development in Uhuru's list of CS nominees

juma chrispinus

January 9, 2018 9:38 AM

Uhuru Kenyatta is set to name additional Cabinet Secretaries this week.

Details have emerged that the vetting process for the three new nominees for the positions of cabinet secretaries - Keriako Tobiko, John Munyes and Ukur Yatani - which was to start Tuesday, will fail after the Office of the President failed to submit the names to the National Assembly speaker Justin Muturi.

On Friday, President Uhuru nominated former DPP Mr Keriako Tobiko, former Turkana Senator John Munyes and former Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani to his Cabinet and their vetting process was to kick off on Tuesday.

But a source quoted to be privy to the speaker of the national assembly, divulged to the Star on Tuesday that the list of the new nominees was not yet with the speaker, even after the National Assembly Majority Leader Mr Aden Duale affirmed that the names would be received by Monday and that the vetting would start Tuesday.

"The office of the speaker is waiting for the list from State House. So far, no communication from State House has been received in Parliament. We are also waiting for it," the official, who is not allowed to speak to the media on behalf of Parliament, told the publication.

Meanwhile, National Super Alliance and Jubilee top brass in parliament have differed over the need to vet afresh the six cabinet secretaries who were retained by the President when he announced the first batch of his cabinet on Friday.

National Assembly Minority Leader John Mbadi on Monday said the nine nominees must be subjected to scrutiny by Parliament and questioned the basis of an assertion by his Majority counterpart Aden Duale that there was no need for that.

Mr Mbadi said the six should be vetted, arguing that because President Kenyatta had taken the oath of office for a second time, he was setting up a new Cabinet, an assertion Mr Duale opposes.

“I am a third term MP. Every time I go for election, I am vetted and every time I win, I have to take a fresh oath of office,” the Suba South MP clarified.

He added: “Is it not a serious level of ignorance when someone says incumbent Cabinet secretaries, once reappointed, cannot be vetted and cannot take a fresh oath of office?”

Meanwhile, Mr Duale has revealed that the president will be naming the remaining lot of Cabinet secretaries this week, but failed to disclose the actual day.

“The President is going to form a Cabinet that is all inclusive with the face of Kenya, with all religions and all ethnic communities, people should wait,” said the House Majority Leader.