MPs will tomorrow hold a special sitting to approve or reject Twalib Mbarak for appointment as anti-graft agency CEO after a House vetting panel endorsed him.
The Justice and Legal Affairs committee, which held a public approval on Friday last week, unanimously recommended that the House ratifies Mbarak’s nomination to head the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission.
The Star has established that the committee chaired by Baringo North MP William Cheptumo completed writing its work over the weekend and will table its approval report before the House tomorrow for debate on his endorsement or rejection.
“We are done with the report and the nominee has been unanimously endorsed,” said a member who declined to be quoted because he is not authorised to speak for the committee.
If approved by the House, Mbarak, 53, – a former military and ex-intelligence officer, will succeed Halakhe Waqo as the EACC chief executive officer for a fixed term of six years.
The Jubilee-controlled House is likely to be boosted by the handshake goodwill to easily endorse Mbarak’s nomination for the eventual appointment to the position regarded a hot seat in the anti-graft war.
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If approved by the House on Tuesday, Mbarak is likely to be
appointed formally to the position by the EACC pending the swearing-in by Chief Justice David Maraga.
Waqo’s term comes to an end on January 21, 2019 – exactly six years after his swearing-in.
While appearing before the vetting panel, Mbarak told the committee that he doesn’t engage in any business, putting his net-worth as Sh152 million.
“I only write articles on security intelligence as a hobby whenever I am requested and I actually don’t earn anything from them. My wife is a housewife who takes care of me and my children,” Mbarak
said.
Saying corruption was posing a threat to national security, Mbarak vowed to dismantle corruption networks by forging a multi-sectoral approach.
“I know there will be setbacks, I know the honeymoon will be short but I have enough shock-absorbers,” declared the nominee when he faced MPs for vetting last Friday.
When asked why he was seeking to be the EACC chief knowing that the institution had a lot of turnovers, Mbarak said he will execute his work with military precision.
“I have served this country for 35 years at senior and riskier positions. This is a very hot seat, let me do this work and I will say I came to this institution and changed it,” he said.
Declaring that he was fully aware of what awaited him, should he be confirmed for the job, Mbarak promised to lead his team from the front and be fair to all citizens.
“I have the skin of a rhino because I started taking risks at an early age. I know exactly what I am getting myself into. I have no fear because, at my age, fear is finally running down,” he said.
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