MPs approve nomination of DPP, CBK chairman

MPs have approved the nomination of Renson Mulele Ingonga as the next Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Parliament also approved the appointment of Andrew Musangi as the Chairperson of the Board of Central Bank of Kenya.

Musangi approval was done after Molo MP Kimani Kuria moved a special motion on consideration of the findings of the Joint Committee of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Finance and National Planning and the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Budget following a vetting exercise.

Ingoga takes over from Noordin Haji who is the current National Intelligence Service (NIS) boss.

MPs in a unanimous vote on Thursday during a special sitting adopted the report of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) that had recommended his approval.

The Committee chaired by Tharaka MP George Murugara conducted an approval hearing on 31st August.

In moving the motion, Murugara said Mulele had satisfied the Committee that he was up to the task and asked Members to approve his nomination.

“Having considered the suitability, capacity and integrity of the nominee, and pursuant to Section 8(6) of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Act, 2013 and Section 8(2) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, 2011, the Committee recommends that the National Assembly approves the appointment of Renson Mulele Ingoga to the position of Director of Public Prosecutions by the President,” Murugara said.

Mulele an advocate of the High Court was a senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecution in charge of North Eastern region before his nomination by the President.

He holds a master of Law from the University of Nairobi and a Postgraduate Diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law.

He also has a Law degree from Moi University.

Ingoga who is worth Sh300 million told MPs defended his predecessor over the decision to withdraw high-profile cases, saying his actions saved the public cash.

He argued that most of the cases were built on trumped-up charges.

“We have seen some of the investigators on oath saying that the evidence was illegally obtained and it was also false which is not right therefore in that matter the DPP could not continue with the case so as to save public money,” he told the Committee.

“We normally withdraw cases so that the suspect does not later go back to court and sue the government whenever there is an acquittal which will see them win the cases. We are lawyers and we know when we are about to lose a case.”