Cabinet vetting starts as Cord drops boycott threat

The first four Cabinet nominees were on Thursday vetted by a committee of MPs during low-key sessions in which the candidates were spared questions from the public.

Cord MPs, who had threatened to withdraw from all parliamentary teams until they were given control over watchdog committees, reversed their decision and participated in the vetting.

The nominees were spared the hard questions after National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi informed the committee that the memoranda submitted by the public were inadmissible because they lacked sworn affidavits.

Among those who participated was Cord deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo. Those who faced the committee were Ms Ann Waiguru (Devolution and Planning), Ms Raychelle Omamo (Defence), Ms Amina Mohammed (Foreign) and Prof Jacob Kaimenyi (Education).

The MPs did not appear to have the advantage of support services previously offered to teams such as the Judicial Service Commission and National Police Service Commission when interviewees faced tough questioning.

They instead asked the nominees routine questions such as what they would do to guarantee devolution and save school children from harassment by adults.

This was in sharp contrast to the tough questioning candidates seeking top Judiciary positions such as Chief Justice, Deputy CJ and Supreme Court judges faced in 2011.

For instance, applicants seeking the post of Inspector-General of Police were ambushed with questions on alleged corruption and whether their university projects were done by other people.

Adopted US system of vetting

Kenya has adopted the US-style system of vetting top job-seekers, but unlike in the American approach where specialist committees scrutinise appointees on their philosophies, writings, record and financial dealings, here interviews are done by a single appointments committee.

Ms Waiguru and Ms Omamo escaped the hard questions on their past records after Mr Muturi informed the committee that no affidavits challenging their nomination had been filed.

The MPs, however, questioned Ms Waiguru’s commitment to devolution after she was accused of being part of a group of civil servants trying to sabotage decentralisation at the Treasury where she is the director of Integrated Financial Management Information System.

Deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso and Mr Midiwo (Gem MP), questioned Ms Waiguru’s personal commitment to devolution.

“We have been told that you are one of the hard-liners on devolution at the Treasury; what will you do as a Cabinet Secretary to ensure county governments are not sabotaged?” asked Dr Laboso.

Commitment to devolution

National Assembly Minority Leader Francis Nyenze noted that the ministry required a friendly Cabinet Secretary ready to unlock disputes over funds like the one involving the amount of money that should be disbursed to county governments.

But Ms Waiguru defended her record at the Treasury, describing herself as a reformer within the financial sector.

“Mr Chairman I am a reformer, not a conservative. I have facilitated reforms in government and everyone at the Treasury will tell you this,” she said.

The nominee was also taken to task over her opinion that the government’s multi-million-shilling economic stimulus project rolled out by the Treasury four years ago was successful.

MPs told Ms Omamo, the Defence Secretary nominee, to act tough on secretive tender tendencies in the military in which billions are suspected to be ending up into individuals’ pocket.

Deputy Majority Leader Naomi Shaaban told Ms Omamo that it was not enough to hold onto the old beliefs that military tenders were confidential and top secret.

“Other disciplined forces within the country are not working in compliance with the procurement Act in their tender process,” Dr Shaaban said.

Ms Omamo said she would act on corruption claims and the tender process, if appointed.

“I will investigate the claims on tender. I will also ensure everything is done as transparently as possible and within the ambit of the military procedures,” she stated. She allayed fears she would be intimidated by the military generals. “I will never be intimidated; remember I was never intimidated by lawyers,” said the former Law Society of Kenya chairperson.

Foreign Affairs Secretary nominee Amina Mohamed was confident that cases facing President Kenyatta and Deputy William Ruto at the International Criminal Court would be resolved.