NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 23 – Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has been summoned to appear before the National Assembly Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations on April 11.
The summon was issued by Committee Chairperson Abdullah Bashir (MP Mandera North) after Members of the committee raised concerns that the CS has become notorious and snubs invitations without valid reasons.
“Our direction is that the CS is summoned to appear on 11, April morning hours. That message will be conveyed today, and the clerk will do the necessary work. We do not want to go deeper into the discussions because we want the CS to be here,” Bashir directed.
Members of the committee led by Kinangop legislator Kwenya Thuku and his Kamukunji counterpart Yusuf Hassan said CS Mutua has been taking the committee for granted thus needs to be reminded of the role that it plays in oversighting the ministry.
“I think the CS is drunk with power and he thinks he is the most powerful CS we have ever had. We have invited other CSs and they have appeared before us. As for him, he is always giving reasons which are of course not very convincing,” said Kwenya.
MP Hassan echoed his sentiments saying, “And he waits until the last minute to say he is not able to come because there is another meeting that he has been called to. This clearly shows that the ministry is being led by a very confused and disorganized person. It is not acceptable that this committee which has the power to oversight this particular ministry is treated this way.”
The CS called the Committee chairperson few minutes to the start of the meeting saying President William Ruto had requested him to remain at State House to welcome former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair.
CS Mutua was at State House where he attended the swearing in ceremony of the Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs).
He was supposed to appear before the committee to shed light on widespread reports that the Ministry had been compelled to cede part of its mandate to the office of the Deputy President.
He was also expected to give ministry’s correct position on a communication from the Ministry to all Diplomatic and Consular Missions, United Nation Agencies, and International Organizations allowing the said Organizations to communicate directly with Ministries, Departments and Agencies( MDAs) of the Government of Kenya without going through the Ministry of Foreign And Diaspora Affairs.
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