Former ministers express interest in Kericho senatorial seat

Two former ministers have declared interest in the Kericho senatorial seat left vacant after President Uhuru Kenyatta nominated Charles Keter to the Cabinet.

Former Energy Assistant Minister Magerer Lang’at and former Roads Minister Franklin Bett have joined the fray that also has former National Housing Cooperation Chairman Sammy Chepkwony and former Kericho governor’s political adviser Festus Kirui Mautor.

Although Keter’s nomination has not been confirmed yet pending the vetting and approval from Parliament, there is a high chance that he may be confirmed to the position judging from past nominations.

Of all the nominees that President Kenyatta has made to Cabinet, only one woman, Monica Juma, the former Interior Principal Secretary who is now Foreign Affairs Permanent Secretary, was included.

Monica had been nominated to take up the position of Secretary to the Cabinet left vacant after the sacking of Francis Kimemia over corruption allegations early this year, but her appointment was rejected by Parliament for allegedly underperforming in her docket.

Keter, who was elected Kericho County Senator in the 2013 elections, was nominated to head the Energy Ministry in a Cabinet reshuffle announced last month.

If confirmed, Keter will fill the position left vacant after the suspension of Davis Chirchir over allegations of corruption.

Chirchir was among the five cabinet secretaries suspended after their names featured in the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission’s list of state officials linked to graft.

Other Cabinet Secretaries whose names were on the list included Charity Ngilu (Lands), Felix Koskei (Agriculture), Kazungu Kambi (Labour and Engineer Michael Kamau (Transport) were also left out of the new-look cabinet.

Keter and six other Ministerial nominees are set to be vetted by the Parliament’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.

Other nominees include Mwangi Kiunjuri, who was nominated to take charge of the Devolution and Planning, Cleopha Mailu (Health), Sicily Kariuki (Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs) and Dan Kazungu (Mining), Willy Bett (Agriculture) and former Google Africa executive Joe Mucheru who is the nominee Cabinet Secretary for ICT.