Now Kaparo quits Nema to chair URP

Former Speaker of the National Assembly Francis Ole Kaparo Friday became the second public official to quit his position and focus on politics as demanded by law.

Mr Kaparo relinquished his position as the chairman of the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) after serving the State agency for two years to concentrate on the politics of United Republican Party (URP) where he is the interim chairman.

His tenure at Nema was to end in March 2014.

“My new focus is to ensure that URP becomes a great party and a party of choice for Kenyans,” Mr Kaparo told journalists at the Nema headquarters in Nairobi.

“I knew at some point that I will have to quit this office in obeying the law and my decision should set the standards upon which others (civil servants) interested in politics should also follow.”

Mr Kaparo said he will now focus on the chairmanship of the URP and ensure that the process of its registration as required by the Political Parties Act (2011) is expedited.

Although it was earlier reported that his position in Nema, a public entity, had stalled the party’s registration, Mr Kaparo said the registrar Lucy Ndung’u had not officially communicated to him.

“I was only forced to do this because of the anxiety that was created as a result of my position in the government. If my non-resignation was a hurdle for the party, consider it removed now,” he said.

Article 12(1) of the Political Parties Act says a public officer is not eligible to be a founding member of a political party, hold office or engage in activities that may compromise or be seen to compromise the political neutrality of that person’s office.

Mr Kaparo, who was accompanied by Nema acting director Ayub Macharia and other top management officials said he would continue being passionate about environmental matters even while he is away from public office.

On Thursday, Dujis MP Adan Duale said the URP was united even as reports indicated that the decision to present Mr Kaparo’s name as chairman had put MPs Charles Keter and Isaac Rutto on a collision course.

Mr Duale said they had decided to retain the names of the party officials  presented to the Registrar of Political Parties after MPs resolved their differences over them.

“We respect the law and we will ensure that our party adheres to the rules as required, we will use the window period of 30 days that we still have to ensure that the names of the officials were in order,” Dujis MP Adan Duale said yesterday.

“URP is a mass movement and where there is a large population, issues will arise but we are united, you can see all of us are here and smiling, there is unity in the party,” said Mr Duale.

Some of the parties with public officers including ministers are PNU, whose chairman is Internal Security minister Prof George Saitoti, New Ford Kenya, whose chairman is Housing minister Soita Shitanda, Ford Kenya, whose chairman is Labour minister John Munyes and ODM, whose secretary-general is Medical Services minister Anyang’ Nyongo.

Former Education Permanent Secretary James ole Kiyapi resigned on Monday to concentrate on his presidential bid.