Transferred CSs to face fresh vetting as MPs reject amendment to Act

The recently appointed and transferred Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries will now be vetted afresh after the National Assembly rejected amendments to the Public Appointments Parliamentary Approval Act that would have seen those transferred and promoted move to the new offices without being vetted again.

The amendments, floated by the Attorney General through the Leader of Majority Aden Duale, were dismissed by the legislators who said that they need to cross-examine the performance of each new appointee in their previous offices.

Among those who were promoted or transferred and will face fresh vetting include Education CS Fred Matiang’i who was the CS for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi – who was moved from Education to the Ministry of Lands.

Others include Transport and Infrastructure CS James Macharia who was the CS for Health, Najib Balala, who was transferred from Mining to Tourism, and Phylis Kandie, who was moved from East African Affairs and Tourism to Labour and Social Services.

The PSs who will face fresh vetting include Ambassador Monica Juma who was transferred from the Ministry of Interior to Foreign Affairs and Mr. Karanja Kibicho, who was moved from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to Ministry of Interior.

The Director of Medical Services Dr. Nicholas Muraguri will also face the vet after being promoted to the position of the PS in the Ministry of Health.

Ms Sicily Kanini Kariuki, the former PS for Agriculture and the Cabinet nominee for the newly formed Ministry of Public Service, Youth Affairs and Gender.

New appointees to the Cabinet who will face vetting include former Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri who was nominated as the CS for Devolution and Planning, Kericho Senator Charles Keter, who was nominated as the CS for Energy, MP Dan Kazungu, the CS nominee for Mining, and Joe Mucheru, the CS nominee for ICT.

Former Kenya Seed Company Managing Director and Agriculture CS nominee Willy Bett, and Nairobi Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer Dr. Cleophas Mailu, the Health CS nominee will also be vetted.

Those who retained their portfolios and will not be subjected to the process again are Major Gen. (Rtd.) Joseph Nkaissery (Interior), Rachel Omamo (Defense), Ambassador Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs), Adan Mohamed (Industrialization), Eugene Wamalwa (Water and Irrigation), Henry Rotich (Treasury), Hassan Wario (Sports) and Judy Wakhungu (Environment).