NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 29 – National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula has directed that the vetting of President William Ruto’s 51 Principal Secretary nominee should resume immediately.
This is after the Employment and Labour Relations Court threw out three petitions that were seeking to stop the entire process.
Speaking during the house plenary session Tuesday, Wetangula stated that “all Departmental Committees are to conclude the vetting proceedings and approval hearings as soon as possible to allow for the conclusion of process.”
“In any case, noting that the House will be commencing the long recess on 2nd December 2022 in accordance with its calendar, it is expected that the Committees will hasten the process and report to the House by end of the morning sitting of Thursday, 1st December 2022, to pave way for consideration of the various approval motions by the House,” he stated.
“From the onset, I wish to note the very progressive view taken by the court in this matter. Whereas it is the constitutional right of every person to approach the courts of law, state organs must be allowed sufficient leeway to carry out their mandate without undue interference by any person. Indeed, to a keen observer, the petitioners were moved more by a lack of proper information and legal guidance, and a push to stall a process for reasons other than national interest.”
Earlier, Justice Nduma Nderi ruled that a petition challenging the process was prematurely filed.
The judge said Parliament ought to be allowed to complete the process, and an aggrieved party can thereafter file a suit.
On November 16, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula stopped the vetting of PS nominees in compliance with a November 15 court order.
More than 20 PS nominees, including Raymond Omollo (Interior), Julius Korir (Cabinet Affairs), Julius Bitok (Citizen Services), Dr Josephine Mburu (Health Standards), Chris Kiptoo (National Treasury), Patrick Mariro (Defence) and Alfred K’Ombundo (Trade), were among those who had been vetted by MPs before the exercise was suspended.
Before its suspension, the vetting was to take place between November 14 and November 18.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) had filed a petition seeking to stop the process, arguing President William Ruto did not factor in regional balance and gender equity.
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