MUSALIA MUDAVADI TO FACE OFF WETANGULA FIRST

Parliament has until November 3 to vet Cabinet nominees, with the Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi expected to face the panel first.

Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula has already directed that the Committee on Appointments be set by next Tuesday.

On Thursday, the Speaker set the vetting process in motion after he submitted to the House, names of persons that President William Ruto nominated to hold Cabinet dockets.

The Committee on Appointment, tasked with vetting the Cabinet nominees will be the first committee to be put in place once the House Business Committee is established.

Similarly, he directed the Majority and Minority leaders to submit the names of their respective members to the committee.

“I direct the clerk of the National Assembly to take the necessary steps and notify the nominees and the public through daily newspapers with national circulation and on the Parliamentary website, the time and place of holding the approval hearings following which the Committee on Appointments should commence the hearings,” Wetangula said.

The Committee is made up of the Speaker, who is also the Chairperson, the Deputy Speaker,

Leaders of Majority and Minority parties, their deputies and not more than 22 other members nominated by the House Business Committee, on the basis of proportional party membership in the House.

In accordance with provisions of Section 6 (9) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011 the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly has invited the public to provide any written statement on oath, with supporting evidence contesting the suitability of the nominees for appointment to their respective positions.

The submissions are to be forwarded to the Clerk of the National Assembly on or before the close of business on October 14.

Focus has shifted to Mudavadi, whose mandate has been clearly cut out, with his portfolio described as the key fulcrum in reviving the country’s economy.

“The ANC Party Leader has been consistent with his pronouncements on the issues surrounding public debt, the bleeding of the economy and the need to work around the clock to turn around Kenya’s Economy.

“This keeps Mudavadi at the centre of operations in trying to provide front-line coordination between the executive and legislature as stipulated in the assigned functions to the office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary. His approval by Parliament will be a key milestone in the right direction for this country,” Nick Biketi, Legal Advisor and Political Analyst, stated.

“Musalia Mudavadi as the Prime Cabinet Secretary will be tasked to provide frontline coordination, supervision and management for the Ministries and State Departments in consultation with the Deputy President and the President. His task is huge since all functions he will be undertaking have to conform to the implementation of the hustlers’ manifesto and be tied to economic recovery, sustainability and growth,” Sylvia Mulama, a Political Commentator, added.

The vetting and approval process which will also see the other 21 nominees subjected to the scrutiny of the Committee on appointments is expected not to take more than 28 days from its commencement.

The Appointment Committee has to submit its report on or before October 27.

After the report is tabled, the house will have seven days to debate and make a decision, on or before November 3.

The law provides MPs with 28 days to conclude the process of approval or rejection of the nominee from the date of notification.

The nominees will be sworn-in after the President receives their approval report from Parliament and become substantive office holders and members of the Cabinet.