Parliament clears the way for Cabinet nominees appointment

The way has been cleared for nine cabinet secretary nominees to be formally appointed and thereafter be sworn into office after the National Assembly approved their nomination on Wednesday, February 14.

Through a vote of acclamation, Jubilee MPs approved a report by the Appointments Committee on the suitability of the nine nominees following their vetting on Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9.

This paves the way to their swearing in which is believed to be scheduled for Friday, February 16.

“Honourable members I wish to announce to the House that the motion for approval for appointment of nine Cabinet Secretary nominees as proposed in the order paper is now carried,” Speaker Justin Muturi declared after the unanimous vote.

NASA MPs had earlier staged a walkout in protest as Jubilee MPs debated the report.

The opposition MPs also stayed clear of the vetting process after Minority Leader John Mbadi wrote to Speaker Muturi informing him that NASA was not going to submit any names of its members to sit in the vetting committee.

The opposition maintains that it does not recognize the legitimacy of President Uhuru Kenyatta after bitterly contested presidential elections on August 8, 2017 and October 26, 2017.

The nine nominees include Prof. Margaret Kobia (Public Service, Youth and Gender), John Munyes (Petroleum and Mining) Amb. Monica Juma (Foreign Affairs) Farida Karoney (Lands, Housing and Urban Development) Peter Munya (East African Community and Northern Corridor Development) who were vetted on Thursday, February 8 as well as Keriako Tobiko (Environment and Forestry) Simon Chelugui (Water and Sanitisation) Ukur Yatani (Labour) Rashid Achesa (Sports and Heritage) were vetted on Friday February 9.

They were nominated by President Kenyatta on January 26.