New State jobs create rift in deputy president’s party
What you need to know:
- Kericho Senator Charles Keter is being accused of manipulating a list of parastatal jobs forwarded to the President in favour of his Kipsigis clansmen.
- Kipkelion West legislator Jackson Rop also defended Mr Keter, noting that he had only forwarded the list handed to him by the Deputy President to the President, and had not generated any of the names on the list of prospective appointees.
- The vice chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the National Assembly said he did not understand why North Rift leaders were “making noise unnecessarily” over minor appointments like membership to boards of parastatals when they had benefited from more senior positions in the government.
New parastatal jobs recently announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta are causing friction between North and South Rift politicians.
Kericho Senator Charles Keter is being accused of manipulating a list of parastatal jobs forwarded to the President in favour of his Kipsigis clansmen.
Last week, Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago and Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi accused Mr Keter of meddling with the list of possible appointees to the various parastatal boards that had been discussed and approved by North Rift leaders.
He said Mr Keter had replaced nominees from the North Rift, adding: “Mr Keter seems to be spoiling everything. We created a list of possible appointees, but he edited this list. Why is State House allowing him to change things that other leaders have agreed on? Keter is going to break our party and government apart if we are not careful.”
But on Wednesday, several Kericho MPs from Mr Keter’s United Republican Party (URP) rallied to support the senator and warned the two North Rift leaders to cease from attacking their colleagues from the South Rift.
Kipkelion East MP Joseph Limo accused the two leaders of spreading propaganda to smear the image of Mr Keter. He wondered how Mr Mandago and Mr Sudi could attack Mr Keter so viciously when the Constitution had made it clear who the appointing authority was.
“They must leave our senator alone. If they have any questions, they can try asking President Kenyatta who made the appointments or Deputy President William Ruto. Mr Keter has no power to appoint anyone,” he said.
Kipkelion West legislator Jackson Rop also defended Mr Keter, noting that he had only forwarded the list handed to him by the Deputy President to the President, and had not generated any of the names on the list of prospective appointees.
The vice chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in the National Assembly said he did not understand why North Rift leaders were “making noise unnecessarily” over minor appointments like membership to boards of parastatals when they had benefited from more senior positions in the government.
The MP said the South Rift kept silent when Joseph Boinett was appointed Inspector-General of Police to join Cabinet secretaries Felix Kosgei (Agriculture) and Phyllis Kandie (Tourism) as well as other chairs of constitutional commissions including Micah Cheserem (Commission for Revenue Allocation) and Sarah Serem (Salaries and Remuneration Commission ).
Yesterday, the County Assembly of Kericho also called a press conference and roundly condemned Governor Mandago and Mr Sudi, accusing them of making statements that could split the URP into two.
