The 21 individuals nominated by President Uhuru Kenyatta to represent the country’s missions abroad Wednesday came close to being appointed after a parliamentary committee gave a thumbs up.
The Defence and Foreign Relations Committee, in a report tabled in the National Assembly, has recommended that the House approves all the 21 nominees.
“Having considered the suitability, capacity and integrity of the nominees, the committee recommends that the National Assembly approves the nomination and subsequent appointment by the President,” says the report.
Demonstrated their experience
The committee noted that the nominees demonstrated their experience in accordance with the requirements of the law and that none of them had been charged in court or mentioned adversely in a parliamentary committee report or commission of inquiry in the last three years.
“All the nominees satisfy the requirements of the constitution in that they do not intend to participate in any other gainful employment.
All the nominees do not hold office in any registered political party hence satisfy the provisions of the constitution,” the committee’s report reads.
The committee also established that none of the nominees has been dismissed from office on the question of conflict of interest under the leadership and integrity.
What now remains between them and their posting as high commissioners and ambassadors to represent the country’s missions abroad is the approval by the House.
On Wednesday, the House concluded debate on the committee’s report with Speaker Justin Muturi expected to put the question for the adoption or rejection of the report during the afternoon sitting of the House Thursday.
The list of the envoy nominees include 10 individuals for ambassadorial, 10 as high commissioners with two nominated as Kenya’s permanent representatives to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) and Intergovernmental Authority and Development (Igad).
Those recommended for the job following a vetting by the committee chaired by Nyaribari Chache MP Richard Tongi include outgoing Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai (Namibia), former ICT Principal Secretary Bitange Ndemo (Belgium) and Ms Mary Mugwanja (Vienna, Austria).
Others are Ms Muthoni Gichohi (Beijing, China), Mr Gathoga Chege (Cuba), Mr Salim Salim (Djibouti) and Major-General A.G. Matiiri (Egypt).
The committee noted that the 2014 case against Dr Ndemo in relation to the sale of Malili Ranch Limited land was an abuse of the criminal justice system and in contravention of his constitutional rights and freedoms and security of the person and the right to secure protection of the law.
The committee’s position is based on the findings of the court, which held that the case against the former PS amounted to selective and, therefore, discriminatory prosecution and a gross abuse of the process of the court and that it was oppressive and malicious.
The court, therefore, issued orders prohibiting the continuance of the case that had been filed in court against Dr Ndemo.
The others are Mr Clement Kiteme (Angola), Mr Galma Boru (Indonesia), Mr Paul Ndung’u (Mozambique), Major-General Andrew Ikenye (Nigeria), Ms Margaret Shava (Netherlands), Ms Amina Abdalla (Sultanate of Oman), Ms Nyambura Kamau (Pakistan), Mr Boniface Mwilu (Qatar) and Ms Michale Oyugi (Spain).
Also recommended for approval are Major-General (Rtd) Thomas Chepkuto (Somalia), Mr Leonard Boiyo (Turkey) and Major-General (Rtd) George Owinow (Uganda).
The committee also approved Prof Richard Bosire (Unesco) and Major-General (Rtd) Charles Gituai (Igad).
Nyeri Deputy Governor Caroline Karugu was among the 21 individuals President Kenyatta had nominated and notified parliament of the necessary approval hearings before their formal appointment.
Dr Karugu had been nominated for Denmark but her name was recalled by Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau with a note to the National Assembly that she had been assigned other duties.
