- Kiamwangi ward MCA Kung’u Smart also said the vetting has to be done as per the house procedure.
- He said the nominees have to be invited to the assembly to face the house for grilling as was witnessed in the National Assembly.
Image: AMOS NJAU
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has been dealt a blow after the county assembly rejected his 10 nominees to his cabinet.
On Wednesday, MCAs unanimously rejected to approve the nominees.
They said 10 motions should be tabled to discuss the nominees' suitability as some aren’t known to them.
The nominees were Nancy Kirumba (finance, ICT and economic planning), Bibianne Waiganjo (education, gender and culture and social services) and Margaret Ruinge (administration and public services).
Others were Salome Wainaina (housing, physical planning, municipal administration and urban development) among others.
Assembly Chief whip Nelson Munga said the MCAs should have been furnished with the public appointment committee report before tabling the approval motion on the floor of the House.
“We are not robots. We can’t just flip through the order paper and then approve its content blindly,” he said.
“The vetting was not done publicly and hence we hardly know the nominees. It’s therefore prudent for the house to give members time to critically read and understand the document.”
Kiamwangi ward MCA Kung’u Smart also said the vetting has to be done as per the house procedure.
He said the nominees have to be invited to the assembly to face the house for grilling as was witnessed in the National Assembly.
Kung’u said the assembly will not be used as a rubber stamp and members have to be allowed to do their job well without interference.
He urged the members of the public to be patient and accord them enough time to vet and approve those who are qualified.
He disputed claims that there is bad blood between the legislature and executive noting that they will fully support the administration.
Limuru Central MCA Nduta Mwongi said the approval of CECs should not be treated as emergency and assembly leaders must be given time to scrutinise them.
“How can you bring me a document with 10 names and tell me to take it as one motion? Bring me independent candidates so that I can then look at candidates individually,” Mwongi said.
Elsewhere, the Meru county assembly had also rejected seven out of ten CEC nominees presented by Governor Kawira Mwangaza.
The MCAs were rejected on grounds that they did not demonstrate knowledge of the topical, administrative and technical issues affecting their departments.
In Machakos, the newly appointed CECs were sworn in after being approved by the assembly members.
All the nominees took the oath of office after they were given clean bill of health by the Machakos county assembly on November 8.