Cabinet nominees vetted

Cabinet Secretaries nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta are being vetted by a House committee Thursday.

The Committee on Appointments chaired by House Speaker Justin Muturi is interviewing five nominees in sessions open to the public at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), Nairobi.

Those to be vetted include: Anne Waiguru (Devolution), Raychelle Omamo (Defence), Amina Mohammed (Foreign Affairs), Jacob Kaimenyi (Education, Science and Technology) and Henry Rotich (National Treasury).

On Thursday morning, Ms Waiguru was put to task on her commitment to deliver on devolution.

She was pinned down on reports she was among government officials resisting the decentralisation of resources.

Ms Waiguru denied claims of being part of saboteurs out to scuttle devolution and outlined her plans to support the County Governments if her appointment is approved.

"I am a reformer not a conservative. I have facilitated reforms in government and in fact mine will be to facilitate the County governments," Ms Waiguru said.

Speaker Justin Muturi said no affidavits challenging Ms Waiguru's competence had been lodged.

"By the time we called you here, no affidavits had been received against your appointment," Mr Muturi said.

On Wednesday, National Assembly Clerk Justin Bundi confirmed his office had received piles of documents containing affidavits questioning the integrity of some of the 16 nominees.

Among other things, the Cabinet nominees will be required to list their wealth, sources and dates they acquired it.

They will also be required to reveal sources of resources they expect to get from deferred income and other future benefits that may accrue from incomplete contracts or previous businesses.

And apart from accurately revealing their net worth, the nominees’ previous compliance or commitment to tax obligations would also be scrutinised.

The vetting questionnaire also requires them to disclose their previous and current political activities and affiliations.