Various Parliamentary committees have been directed to vet President William Ruto’s CS nominees and other officials.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula directed respective committees to sit during recess and commence the vetting processes.
He said that the committee should submit respective reports upon completion of the approval hearings by January 15, 2025.
The Speaker will then notify MPs of the date and time of special sittings to consider the reports.
He directed that the nominees to the positions of Cabinet Secretary to the Committee on Appointments, nominees to the positions of High Commissioners, Ambassadors Permanent Representative and Consul-General to the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations.
He directed nominees to the positions of Vice-Chairperson and Members of the Public Service Commission to the Departmental Committee on Labour.
The Speaker said the committees are required to commence the necessary vetting processes as contemplated under the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, CAP 7F and Standing Order 45 (Committal of public appointments to Committees).
Wetang’ula said that the constitution allows the speaker to direct the relevant committee to vet nominees without recalling the House.
“In furtherance to the provisions of Articles 152(2), 132(2)(e) and 250(2) of the Constitution as read together with sections 3 and 5 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap. 7F, His Excellency the President now seeks the approval of the National Assembly of the said persons to the respective offices,” he said.
The Speaker said that he would notify the MPs on the date and time of the convening of Special Sittings of the House for purposes of considering the reports of the respective Committees on the vetting exercise.
He further directed the Clerk to transmit this Notification to all Members of the National Assembly and facilitate the respective Committees to expeditiously undertake the necessary approval hearings.
Ruto nominated Mutahi Kagwe as CS Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Lee Kinyanjui as CS Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, and William Kabogo as CS of the Ministry of Information, Communications and The Digital Economy.
He further nominated high commissioners, ambassadors, permanent representatives and consul-general.
They are High Commissioner, Accra, Ghana Margaret Ndung’u, Andrew Karanja Ambassador, Brasilia, Brazil, Ababu Namwamba as Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON) and Noor Gabow Consul-General, Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
The President further named the vice-chairperson and members of the public service commission.
They are Mary Wanjira Kimonye (vice-chairperson) and Harun Maalim Hassan, Mwanamaka Amani Mabruki, Francis Meja, Irene Cherotich Asienga, Boya Molu, Joan Andisi Machayo and Francis Otieno Owino as members.