Nairobi, Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto have approved their representatives to a powerful parliamentary committee that will vet their nominees for Cabinet.
And in their first full day in office on Wednesday, Uhuru and Ruto held separate talks with Presidents Joseph Kabila (Democratic Republic of Congo), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), and Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud (Somalia) at State House, Nairobi.
The presidents were among a dozen Heads of State who witnessed their colourful inauguration on Tuesday.
Even as Uhuru and Ruto hosted their high profi le guests, they are understood to have approved their Jubilee Coalition nominees to three powerful parliamentary committees critical in the business of Parliament, which opens on Tuesday.
They include the Committee on Appointments, which will vet the President’s nominees for Cabinet Secretaries.
The most immediate task for the two is to name their Cabinet.
On Wednesday, Uhuru and Ruto were said to have fi ne-tuned their list of nominees to Cabinet and other key Government positions.
The Jubilee Coalition is likely to dominate the membership of the crucial committee to vet Cabinet Secretaries. It controls four of six positions whose membership is designated based on parliamentary leadership positions.
The additional not more than 22 members are allocated based on party strength in Parliament. Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, who is tipped to be the Majority Leader in the National Assembly, says the Jubilee Coalition has secured the backing of 216 MPs in the 349-member House.
This means the Coalition is entitled to more positions in the committee than the opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy.
Members of the Committee on Appointments are Speaker Justin Muturi, who is the chairperson, his Deputy Joyce Laboso, the Leader of the Majority Party (Duale is set to be named to the post on Tuesday), and the Deputy Leader of the Majority Party, reportedly earmarked for Taita Taveta MP Naomi Shaban.
Designated CORD representatives are the Leader of the Minority party and the Deputy Leader of the Minority party.
National Assembly Standing Orders stipulate “not more than 22 other Members nominated by the House Business Committee, on the basis of proportional Party Membership in the House taking into consideration the numerical strength of the Parties and interests of Independent Members.”
The Jubilee Coalition has wooed several MPs elected on tickets of smaller parties prompting accusations that Uhuru’s administration was intent on killing opposition in Parliament.
House committees
On Wednesday, The Standard learnt that Uhuru and Ruto were briefed on MPs named to represent the Jubilee Coalition Government on the three key National Assembly committees.
The other two organs are the House Business Committee and the Selection Committee.
The lists will be submitted to the Speaker today and will be tabled in the House on Tuesday. CORD is to also name its nominees.
Besides scheduling the business of the House, HBC will nominate partial membership of the Committee on Appointments.
The Selection Committee will nominate members to serve in various committees.
President Uhuru will address a joint sitting of the Senate and National Assembly on Tuesday in which he will detail the Government’s legislative agenda.
On Wednesday, Duale indicated that the Jubilee Coalition is set to control the parliamentary committees whose membership is based on party representation in the House.
“We expect to take over all the positions of chairman in various committees except that of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Public Investment Committee (PIC), which we are reserving for the opposition (CORD), which will play the role of oversight over Government,” said Duale.
He said although the Standing Orders were not categorical on who chairs the PAC and the PIC, the Jubilee Coalition had made a deliberate decision to leave it to the opposition.
In his inauguration speech, President Uhuru stressed that his Government welcomes the crucial role of opposition. On Wednesday, Duale, who is also the United Republican Party (URP) spokesman, declined to discuss the members named to the three committees.
Jubilee Coalition MPs have also handed in their applications for consideration into the various committees to be set up once the House convenes next week.
“Analysing of the academic qualifications of the MPs is on-going and the list of members to the parliamentary committees will be ready by Wednesday next week,” said an MP involved in the exercise.
The MPs were asked to present their bio-data and name their preferred committees. Tharaka Nithi County Senator Kithure Kindiki (TNA) is expected to be named the Senate Majority leader.
Deal Struck
Nyeri County Senator Mutahi Kagwe has staked claim on the position, arguing his Narc party was promised the post in a deal struck by party leader Charity Ngilu.
But sources indicated that Kagwe might settle for a Senate committee position alongside Kiambu County Senator Kimani Wamatangi, who had also expressed interest in the key position.
The post of Chief Whip is earmarked for former Internal Security Minister Katoo ole Metito, the Kajiado South MP.
Keiyo South MP Jackson Kiptanui is reportedly being considered to take over as deputy chief whip.
“It is important that Uhuru and Ruto immediately embark on fulfilling the promises made to the electorate ahead of the March 4 General Election. We will quickly dispense with the legislative issues in Parliament that will enable them to attain that goal,” said Chepalungu MP Paul Bii.
Prof Kindiki said that unlike in the past where picking of Cabinet ministers and permanent secretaries was solely the responsibility of the President, this time the list of 22 nominees for Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries will be vetted and approved by Parliament.
“It is expected that Uhuru and Ruto will pick a team of professionals with the ability to deliver on the Jubilee manifesto, which was the cornerstone of their campaign. It is highly likely that they will blend the old guard and youth in their Cabinet expected to be unveiled at the earliest opportunity, as they settle down to business after their swearing-in on Wednesday,” said Kindiki.
“The traditional question time in Parliament where Cabinet ministers were grilled by MPs no longer exists and ministers will have to appear before parliamentary committees instead,” said Ainamoi MP Benjamin Langat.
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