Sarah Serem apologised on Thursday for stepping on the toes of MPs and others during her term as chair of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
Serem said she was sorry when she faced the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee that vetted her for the position of
Kenya's ambassador to China.
She was nominated by
President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Read:
The committee accused the candidate of
not being a team player and having poor negotiation skills that they said contributed to the many cases of industrial action that the country has seen.
Members also said Serem is arrogant and does not deserve a position that requires diplomacy. They said questions will be asked on how she will treat Kenyan delegations to China.
The candidate noted that her firmness was not ill-intended.
"When given a job, I do my best and I do not give excuses for not doing my best. If that has not been interesting and if I have offended anyone in anyway, I am sorry for but I meant well for Kenya and Kenyans," she said.
Asked why she took over everything at the Salaries and Remuneration Commission, Serem said:
"During my tenure, [it seemed] I was in complete control but I was only the spokesperson of the commission. Every conversation that came from the commission was occasioned by nights and days of activates including research and dialogue."
Some of the MPs in the panel noted that the nominee's background is in human resources yet she lacks
diplomatic explanations on key issues.
Others accused her of
not giving a valid reason on why she proposed a salary cut for legislators.
The nominee said:
"It is only MPs who do not understand who Sarah Serem is. Outside there everyone understands me. Therefore, I request that we engage on areas other than the SRC."
She added:
"My tenure [at the SRC] was more of a transformation that did not please many. There was no single agenda that was passed by one person. We did not even vote on any matter; we just had to agree. Thus, in my opinion, the commission needed a face and firmness and that is what we were."
Related:
Serem termed herself the best candidate for the job.
She pointed out that
her ability to mediate in conflicts and her experience have seen her sit in boards of various institutions.
Others awaiting evaluation are former DCI boss Ndegwa Muhoro, former State
House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu and former
Kenya Air Force Commander Major General
Samuel Thuita.
Read: