Cabinet: Uhuru submits names to Parliament as NASA vows to boycott

President Uhuru Kenyatta has officially submitted to Parliament names of his new Cabinet nominees who are set to undergo vetting before taking office.

The president, through Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, forwarded to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi the names of nine Cabinet Secretary nominees, seven Principal Secretaries and seven Ambassadors/High Commissioners.

The nominated Cabinet Secretaries who will be vetted include; Margaret Kobia (Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs), John Munyes (Petroleum and Mining), Monica Juma (Foreign Affairs), Simon Chelgui (Water and Sanitation), Rashid Achesa (Sports), Farida Karoney (Lands), Ukur Yattany (Labour), Peter Munya (East African Community) and Keriako Tobiko (Environment).

The 11 retained Cabinet Secretaries will not undergo fresh vetting hence, their names have not been forwarded to Parliament.

The name of Raphael Tuju, who the president said had been “co-opted into Cabinet on a need basis”, has not been forwarded for vetting.

After the Speaker, who heads the parliamentary committee on appointments, has officially received the names, the 14-day vetting period that will lead to the approval or rejection of the nominees is set to begin on Tuesday, January 30.

Members of the public will have seven days to submit memoranda on the suitability of the nominees to which responses to the same will be done.

Once the initial seven days lapse, the Speaker will convene a meeting of the committee where the nominees can formally undergo vetting.

The opposition has however remained adamant over its non participation in the process, but the majority party, is upbeat it has the numbers.

“Mediocrity is now the reigning norm in this country, it is not our Cabinet, we have even told you our members will not participate in the so called vetting,” said Senate Minority leader Moses Wetangula.

The committee on appointments has 19 members, 12 from the ruling party and seven from the minority. The speaker, his deputy, majority and minority leaders are automatic members to the team.

“Jubilee has the required quorum. If you include the Speaker, his deputy and Majority Leader we will have 15 members yet the quorum is nine. Any committee of the House can commence any business and conclude it as long as the quorum is there,” says Majority Leader Aden Duale.

By the time the House resumes from recess on February 13, their first order on the table will be to debate the report of the appointments committee and either reject or approve its findings.

The list will thereafter be handed to President Kenyatta before the nominees are sworn into office.