Integrity hitch rocks Cabinet plan

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto could be forced to drop three names they had nominated for Cabinet secretary positions after the anti-corruption commission raised questions on their integrity.

Sources yesterday said the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) were uncomfortable with the past records of the nominees who they felt should not be part of the new government.

President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto, who pledged a lean clean government, submitted names of their prospective Cabinet to the two institutions for vetting should they be part of Cabinet.

The institutions found out one nominee has been accused of running down a government institution while another faces corruption allegations.

Vetting

If the President and his deputy are to ignore the recommendations of the EACC and the NIS, there are fears that the three may not survive the scrutiny of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments or even the House.

President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto are set to announce the Cabinet on Wednesday before forwarding the list to the House for scrutiny and approval.

Friday, Kenya Airways boss Titus Naikuni, who is being touted for a Cabinet position, was forced to deny reports that he had quit the national carrier ahead of the naming of the Cabinet.

“I am still a full-time employee of Kenya Airways. Any information to the contrary is untrue and should be ignored,” he said.

Allies of President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto have said the two will be led by professionalism, performance, and integrity when they name their Cabinet.

Yesterday, interviews with allies of the two leaders said they had decided to overhaul the entire structure of the administration they found in place.

This, sources said, will go beyond naming of a new Cabinet and principal secretaries to involve ambassadors and high commissioners, heads of state corporations and top positions at the level of directors in ministries and departments.