Head of State dismisses critics on parastatal jobs

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his cabinet address journalists at State House in Nairobi on the 28th January, 2014. President Kenyatta has defended his recent appointments to parastatals that sparked an uproar for failing to meet gender, youth and regional balance requirements. PHOTO/EVANS HABIL 

In Summary

• Addressing journalists at State House, Nairobi, yesterday, the President admitted that he and Deputy President William Ruto erred in “one or two appointments...by not getting full interpretation of the law” but insisted that overall they scored 96 per cent in the selections.
• The briefing was called against the backdrop of his young administration reeling under corruption allegations over tenders for the planned Mombasa-Malaba railway line and the flagship Jubilee Government laptops-for-schools project.
• In fighting graft claims, the President still left many questions unanswered. There was an air of expectation when President Kenyatta called a press conference at State House, Nairobi on Tuesday.
• The State House press conference was called just three days after key Jubilee figures in Parliament, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale and his Senate counterpart Kithure Kindiki, led an orchestrated chorus giving the President an ultimatum of seven days to expose alleged saboteurs within the government who were accused of being behind the corruption claims.

By Nation Reporter
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President Kenyatta has defended his recent appointments to parastatals that sparked an uproar for failing to meet gender, youth and regional balance requirements.

The Head of State further denied that UDF leader Musalia Mudavadi was headed to the government in an imminent Cabinet reshuffle.

Addressing journalists at State House, Nairobi, yesterday, the President admitted that he and Deputy President William Ruto erred in “one or two appointments...by not getting full interpretation of the law” but insisted that overall they scored 96 per cent in the selections.

“We passed and that is an A plus. If we made one or two appointments it’s because of interpretation of the law,” he said.

Among the appointments that attracted an outcry from various quarters is that of former presidential candidate Abduba Dida to head the Constituency Development Fund board and that of former Civil Service boss Francis Muthaura to chair the Lamu Port Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport board.

In addition, lawyers questioned the choice of Mr Albert Mwilitsa as the chairman of the Standards Tribunal when he was not a lawyer.

President Kenyatta had to also temporarily reverse the appointment of Mr John Mututho to chair the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse after it turned out that he had skipped parliamentary approval.

On reports of an imminent Cabinet reshuffle, the President scoffed at media reports that indicated that Mr Mudavadi, a former deputy Prime Minister and presidential aspirant, was to join the Cabinet.

He further denied that there were plans to increase the number of ministries from 18 to 22. The matter would be announced to Kenyans when necessary, he said.

Last week The Star newspaper had reported that the President and his deputy wanted to split both Anne Waiguru’s Devolution and Planning and Joseph ole Lenku’s Interior ministries.

The paper quoted sources as saying that Mr Mudavadi was to take a new Devolution ministry while Ms Waiguru would take up a new role as the Interior and Planning Cabinet Secretary.

It claimed Mr Lenku was to move to a new ministry – Gender and Youth Affairs.

TO BE CREATED

The report further claimed that two more ministries were to be formed.

Yesterday, the President termed the report as propaganda.

He defended Cabinet Secretaries against claims that they were prone to making unnecessary mistakes.

Some ministers have been on the spot over appointments made in their dockets, issuance of tenders and handling of various issues of national interests.

On insecurity, President Kenyatta assured the country that his government was not asleep. “We are working on security of the nation. We are making major investments on security,” he said.
“The vetting process (of police) is being finalised.”

As we go forward we will see improvement. Insecurity is of main concern to us as a government. We are committed to securing Kenyan’s lives and property,” President Kenyatta said.