MPs recalled for special sitting to consider Ruto's cabinet nominees

The National Assembly it set to vote on President William Ruto’s new cabinet nominees on Thursday next week after Speaker Moses Wetang'ula gazetted a special sitting.

In December, President Ruto made changes to his cabinet, paving the way for the nomination of Mutahi Kagwe, who served as health minister under Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, to take charge of the Agriculture Ministry.

He also nominated former governors Lee Kinyanjui and William Kabogo, both close allies of Kenyatta, to the Trade and Communication Ministries respectively.

The committee of appointment which is chaired by Speaker Wetang'ula is set to conduct vetting on the three( nominees on Tuesday next week before retreating to write the report and finally tabling it before the house on Thursday.

Kagwe is scheduled to appear before the Committee on Appointments, as the first nominee on Tuesday, at noon. Former Kiambu Governor Kabogo will take the stand at 3pm, followed by Former Nakuru Governor Kinyanjui at 5pm.

The three(3) nominees’ appointment is expected to pacify the Mt Kenya region following the impeachment of Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

The House will also approve the nominees to fill the vacant positions in the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) following the exit of the Lyn Mengich-led team.

President Ruto appointed Sammy Chepkwony, a human resources expert with over 30 years of experience, as its Chairperson and he will be vetted by the National Assembly Labour Committee chaired Runyejes MP Eric Muchangi.

The Head of State nominated Chepkwony who has held senior roles across major organizations such as Kenya Airways, PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC), and Aga Khan University.

Other set to be vetted Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Martin Kizito Ong’oyi, Mohamed Aden Abdi representing county governments, and other representatives from TSC, APSEA, FKE, and COTU.

The Muchangi-led committee will also table the report on the vetting of eight individuals to the Public Service Commission (PSC) in preparation for key vacancies expected in January and April 2025.

The nominations were made to fill positions that will fall vacant in mid-January, including the office of the Vice-Chairperson and six other members.

President Ruto nominated former IEBC commissioner Boya Molu as a member of the Public Service Commission. Molu was among the IEBC commissioners who stood with the former chairperson of the electoral agency Wafula Chebukati during the standoff over the 2022 presidential results.

The President also nominated former public service principal secretary Mary Kimonye as vice-chairperson of the commission and former NTSA boss Francis Meja as a member of the influential commission.

Others nominated to the commission are Harun Maalim Hassan, representing Persons with Disabilities (PWDs); Mwanamaka Amani Mabruki, CBS; Irene Cherotich Asienga; Francis Otieno Owino and Joan Andisi Machayo.

Additionally, the committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations chaired by Belgut MP Nelson Koech is scheduled to vet nominees for ambassadorial, high commissioner, and diplomatic representative positions on Friday.

Among the nominees is Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u, the immediate former Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, who has been nominated as Kenya’s High Commissioner to Accra, Ghana.

She will appear before the committee, chaired by Belgut MP Hon. Nelson Koech, at 9am.

Dr Andrew Karanja, the immediate former Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, has been nominated as Kenya’s Ambassador to Brazil and is scheduled to appear at 11am.

Mr Ababu Namwamba, the former Sports Cabinet Secretary, who has been nominated as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, will face the panel at 2pm.

Former Deputy Inspector General of Police Mr Noor Gabow, nominated as Consul-General to Port-au-Prince, Haiti, will conclude the vetting at 4pm.