Kimunya’s blunder

The new Constitution makes possible a fresh start for the nation in a number of fields, not least of which is the basis on which key appointments to public office are made.

Right from the preamble, the Constitution takes note of the nation’s ethnic, cultural and religious diversity and explicitly requires that ethnic diversity be a consideration in picking public officers, including the senior heads of the disciplined forces.

This is a reasonable demand considering the nation’s history of ethnic conflict and discrimination.

But, while the Constitution’s hardware seeks to take the country forward from the bad old days, many in public office are still operating on the software of the old order.

One of these is Transport minister Amos Kimunya. The minister has been in the news for the wrong reasons yet again for filling the boards of strategic parastatals Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Airports Authority and the Kenya Maritime Authority with members of his own ethnic group.

Mr Kimunya should acknowledge the error of his ways and rescind some of these appointments.

Mr Kimunya must uphold the letter and spirit of the Constitution, of which he is clearly in breach.