New Cabinet Secretaries Dan Kazungu (l) and Mwangi Kiunjuri (r) at State House, Nairobi. Photo/ PSCU
NAIROBI, Kenya, Dec 18 – President Uhuru Kenyatta has told all new Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries that corruption will not be tolerated in his government.
Speaking during the swearing in which took place at State House Nairobi Friday, the Head of State urged them to run their departments effectively and emphasized the need for them to be responsible.
The President further stressed his commitment to run a clean government and stressed that no laxity will be tolerated.
“We want to ensure that we deal firmly and decisively and uproot this vice of corruption that has afflicted us as a nation,” he said.
“Whereas before, it was quite easy because some of the Principal Secretaries had huge dockets, I think that with the way we have streamlined them now, there is nobody who has any excuse whatsoever to say that something happened and I was not aware. That will not be an acceptable language,” he said.
The seven CSs and 24 PSs were approved by Parliament on Wednesday and Thursday after undergoing vetting.
“We are almost halfway if not a little bit ahead in terms of the commitments that we have made. We have every intention of fulfilling those commitments we made to the people. And therefore your role in helping us achieve all will be critical,” President Kenyatta explained.
“I need not say that you have all seen what the Kenyan public, least of all myself, expect from you. We want to run a clean government. You are responsible and you shall be held responsible for the activities of your docket.”
The Head of State expressed confidence in the new appointees and urged them to take their duties seriously.
“You have shown yourselves that you have what it takes. We want you to bring those ethics into government. We want you to practice those same ethics in government. Do not for one second thinks that you could have practiced them in the private sector and here you can have free rein. This is our expectation of you and we really hope that you will put your best foot forward and deliver on your mandates,” he stated.
“I (name) being appointed a Cabinet Secretary of the government of Kenya do swear that I will at all times be faithful to the republic of Kenya, that I will obey, respect and uphold this constitution of Kenya and all other laws of the Republic, that I will well and truly serve the people and the republic of Kenya in the office of a Cabinet Secretary, that I undertake to hold my office as a Cabinet Secretary with honor and dignity, that I will be a true and faithful counselor to the President…..” each of the CSs and PSs swore while taking the oath of office.
Following the swearing in, they will then be taken though an induction exercise on Monday. Public Service Commission chairperson Margaret Kobia has in the meantime said that the new appointees need to report to the Kenya School of Government for the exercise.
The induction is meant to take the new officers through what is expected of them in their new roles.
The seven new Cabinet Secretaries will be part of the new 20-member top Executive organ.
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