Mr Mohammed Abduba Dida. Photo/FILE
NATION MEDIA GROUP
Human rights activists on Thursday
criticised President Kenyatta’s appointment of more heads of
parastatals, saying the appointees cannot transform the civil service.
The
advocates said the appointments only rewarded President Kenyatta and
Deputy President William Ruto’s political allies who lost in last year’s
General Election.
East Africa School of Human Rights
chief executive Atuti Atunga, said the decision contradict’s Jubilee’s
promise of restructuring the management of State corporations.
Human
rights activist Ndung’u Wainaina was concerned that the appointments
were made yet civil service boss Joseph Kinyua issued a circular barring
further appointments to parastatals until there is proper
restructuring.
This, he added, was also contained in
recommendations by the presidents own task force on parastal reform
headed by his constitutional and legal affairs advisor Abdikadir
Mohammed and banker Isaac Awuondo. Mr Wainaina questioned if the Public
Service Commission had a hand in the appointments.
“What
does these appointments say about that commission’s ability to
transform civil service? Mark you no country has ever made progress
with archaic civil service. Kenya is condemned to the graveyard of new
wine in old wine-skin,” Mr Wainaina said.
In what is
seen as his efforts to consolidate his support in various parts of the
country, President Kenyatta gave key parastatal positions to his
loyalists and those of Mr Ruto.
Former Cabinet
Ministers Samuel Poghisio and Njeru Ndwiga, former assistant minister
Danson Mungatana, former MP Fred Kapondi and former presidential
candidate Abduba Dida are among those appointed to head various
parastatals.
Similar appointments last month attracted
huge criticism from various leaders who said they had failed to meet
constitutional requirements, on gender, youth and regional balance.
In
a special gazette notice dated December 31, President Kenyatta named Mr
Poghisio the chairperson of Kenya Civil Aviation Authority. The former
Information minister and Kacheliba MP vied for the West Pokot senatorial
seat on URP ticket but lost.
Mr Ndwiga who also lost
his bid to be senator on TNA ticket is the new chairman of Tana-Athi
Water Services Board, replacing Mr Harrison Moipei Tago whose
appointment was revoked.
Mr Sammy Chepkwony was appointed chairperson National Housing Corporation board, replacing Mr Isaac Mogaka.
Mr Dida is to chair the Constituency Development Fund, replacing Ms Jennifer Nafula Barasa whose appointment was revoked.
Mr
Mungatana who campaigned for President Kenyatta has landed a plum job
as Kenya Ports Authority chairperson while Mr Kapondi will chair the
for three years.
Mr Mungatana succeeds Mr Baramadi Shukri whose appointment has been cancelled.
Other
appointments include that of Mr Sammy Latema to chair the National
Irrigation Board, replacing Mr Daniel Munyao Mule while Prof Alex
Chemtai will head the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and
Technologists board.
One of President Kenyatta’s
lawyers in the case facing him at the International Criminal Court, Mr
Gershom Otachi, is the new chairman of the Board of Trustees of the
Policyholders’ Compensation Fund. Mr Otachi takes over from Mr
Abdulmalek Janmohamed.
Mr Ruto’s ally and former Youth
for Kanu ‘92 activist Patrick Osero will now chair the Agricultural
Finance Corporation, taking over from Mr Hesbon Kadullo Mariwa.
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