MPs differ over two Cabinet nominees

Cabinet Secretary nominees Phyllis Kandie and Davis Chirchir during vetting at KICC. The National Assembly has approved 16 Cabinet Secretary nominees after a heated debate May 14, 2013. FILE

What you need to know:

  • Mr Chirchir has been nominated for the Energy and Petroleum docket, while Mrs Kandie is the nominee for Tourism, East African Affairs and Trade.
  • Insiders said MPs with reservation over Mr Chirchir’s appointment cited integrity issues in his previous employment.
  • As for Mrs Kandie, the lawmakers were said to have acted on complaints from Baringo Central District Poverty Eradication Committee, which presented a letter and an affidavit to the House team complaining that an organisation Mrs Kandie headed failed to submit money channelled through it for payment to three local self-help groups.

MPs who vetted Cabinet nominees were Monday evening in a standoff over approval of two of the 16 proposed Cabinet Secretaries.

Insiders at the meeting of Parliamentary Committee on Appointments said the lawmakers were divided over whether to approve the appointment of Mr Davis Chirchir and Mrs Phylis Kandie over what was said to be integrity issues.

Mr Chirchir has been nominated for the Energy and Petroleum docket, while Mrs Kandie is the nominee for Tourism, East African Affairs and Trade.

MPs who declined to be named discussing the committee’s activities in the media said opposition legislators were adamant yesterday that certain integrity issues raised against the two presented strong cases for their rejection.

It is understood that some Jubilee MPs later joined their Minority counterparts in suggesting that the team recommends to President Kenyatta to replace the two nominees.

Being revisited

However, later last evening, another MP at the Windsor Golf Hotel and Country Club, where the committee retreated to at the weekend to compile its report, said that position (rejection) “was being revisited.”

Insiders said MPs with reservation over Mr Chirchir’s appointment cited integrity issues in his previous employment.

As for Mrs Kandie, the lawmakers were said to have acted on complaints from Baringo Central District Poverty Eradication Committee, which presented a letter and an affidavit to the House team complaining that an organisation Mrs Kandie headed failed to submit money channelled through it for payment to three local self-help groups.

In a letter and affidavit signed by Mr Jackson Kimutai Cheruiyot, the Kenya Micro Enterprises Promotion Programme (K-Mepp) then headed by Mrs Kandie as the “overall” director had been mandated, as a financial intermediary, to follow up on repayments and remit them to Baringo District Poverty Eradication Committee in 2001/2002.

He claims the money was channelled through K-Mepp, which later wound up its operations and closed offices within Kabarnet Town.

“By the time K-Mepp wound up, they owed the district poverty eradication committee Sh2,310,000 in respect of Kapkelewa Women Group, Kabarnet Jua Kali Association and Kabartonjo Jua Kali Association,’’ states the affidavit.

He says investigations by the Poverty Eradication Commission last year indicated that “the money had been repaid to K-Mepp but not forwarded to the district eradication committee.”

“We thus seek Mrs Kandie Phylis to be accountable for her actions, omissions and commissions as the director of K-Mep.”

The MPs are expected to table their report in Parliament Tuesday.