National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula has warned cabinet nominees against visiting the ministries’ offices and subsequently taking over before receiving House permission. The warning came in response to a concern by Suna East MP Junet Mohammed when Zachariah Njeru was being vetted for the position of Secretary for Lands, Housing, and Urban Development.
According to Mr Junet, some of the nominees have been seen touring their respective dockets’ offices either before or after appearing before the Committee on Appointments, a move that he termed premature, unnecessary and out of order.
“The issue of nominees who have appeared here and the committee was done with them and then they end up reporting to the offices and taking pictures there and being taken round. This process ends on the plenary of the House; until you put a question on the floor of the House, and the question is passed, they remain nominees. They have no duty in those ministries,” said Junet.
His sentiments were underpinned by the National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula who cited the cabinet nominees’ actions as “excess enthusiasm” “All nominees coming before this committee remain as such – nominees – subject to the report of this committee, presentation to the plenary of the National Assembly and a vote taken on each one of them. Excess enthusiasm may not be helpful,” said Wetangula.
The concerns raised by the Suna East MP Junet Mohammed come in the backdrop of a visit by nominated Attorney General Justin Muturi who went on a familiarization tour of Sheria house barely a day after facing the parliamentary committee on appointments. Muturi went ahead and interacted with the staff on the challenges of the office and how service delivery could be improved. “Earlier today, I made a familiarization tour in the Attorney General’s offices at Sheria House. During the tour, I interacted with the Staff at the State Law Office on the challenges of the Office and ways service delivery can be improved.” Muturi wrote on Twitter.
Cabinet Secretary nominee, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development Zachariah Mwangi also had a briefing session with the docket’s current CS. All these visits now beg the question as to why the nominees are sure of their appointments.
