President William Ruto has appointed the 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries he nominated last Thursday to various Ministries.
In a statement on Wednesday, State House spokesman Hussein Mohamed said the appointment follows a communication from Speaker Moses Wetang'ula that there's no law that requires them to be vetted by the House.
"It is notified that the Speaker of the National Assembly has referred back to the Appointing Authority the Transmittal of the Nominees for Appointment to the rank of Chief Administrative Secretaries," Mohamed said.
The Speaker’s Memorandum notes as follows:
“The obligation to respect, uphold and defend the Constitution enjoins the House to refrain from assuming and discharging a role that it has not been expressly assigned by the Constitution or written law. In that regard, the National Assembly is unable to vet the nominees in the absence of an express constitutional or statutory requirement to do so”
Mohamed said as a consequence of the communication by Wetang'ula that there is no constitutional or statutory basis for parliament to vet the nominees, President Ruto has proceeded with the appointment of the CASs.
"The Head of State and Government has today 22nd March 2023 caused the appointment of the nominees to various Ministries as earlier notified," he said.
"To facilitate the ascension of the Chief Administrative Secretaries to Office, the State Appointees are now scheduled to subscribe to their solemn Oath of Office," the State House spokesman said.
Traditionally, all presidential nominees including cabinet secretaries and permanent secretaries should be vetted by the relevant Parliamentary Committees.
Those whose nomination is approved after the vetting committees are thereafter presented to the President for appointment into their various ministries.
Ruto has, however, come under heavy criticism over the appointment of the 50 CASs with critics saying it's an extra burden to an already bloated wage bill.
The CASs will gobble up nearly Sh460 million in salaries per annum.
His predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta worked with half the number (23) which is what the Public Service Commission recommended that should be hired by the Kenya Kwanza government.
