NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 17 – President Mwai Kibaki was on Tuesday morning expected to chair a Cabinet meeting at State House Nairobi.
Presidential Press Service Director Isaiah Kabira told Capital News that the meeting would kick off at 10 am.
The meeting was likely to focus on Thursday’s national day of prayer and a fundraiser for the Molo and Nakumatt fire victims.
The Molo fire claimed 133 lives while 70 others remain in hospital and require expensive reconstructive surgery. The Nakumatt supermarket fire on the other hand left 29 people dead.
The Government launched an appeal two weeks ago to raise funds to assist the victims.
During the launch, President Kibaki said the Nakumatt/Molo Fire Victims Fund would be used in the settlement of hospital bills.
“The monies raised through the fund will be used to assist victims of both tragedies by way of settlement of bills especially for patients requiring long term hospitalisation and medical care, related humanitarian assistance and further treatment where necessary,” the President said.
Tuesday’s meeting also comes at the height of scandals involving top ministers as calls for their resignation continued to mount.
Already, a censure motion against Agriculture Minister William Ruto has been filed in Parliament over his handling of maize scandal at the National Cereals and Produce Board.
President Kibaki also convened the Ministers assembly a few days after the government lost a Motion seeking to establish a local tribunal to try perpetrators of post-election violence.
Six Ministers and Assistant Ministers joined backbenchers to defeat the Constitutional Amendment Bill with a 93 vote against the required 77. The government managed 101 votes out of the necessary 145 for a constitutional amendment.
The meeting also comes at a time when MPs have been raising concerns over the Executive’s apparent disregard of the legislative assembly.
The Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende on Friday asked the Executive to consult with Parliament saying that there was a plan to adjourn Parliament yet, he had not been informed.
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