Eleven of President William Ruto’s nominees for the position of principal secretaries are lined up to face MPs tomorrow as lawmakers start a five-day process of determining their suitability.
Unlike the vetting of cabinet secretaries which was conducted by the appointments committee chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, the vetting of PSs will be done by various departmental committees.
The consideration of the principal secretaries, who are the accounting officers in ministries, will complete the cycle of vetting by MPs as President Ruto’s cabinet takes its final shape.
The first on the hot seat at 9am will be Mr Julius Korir, who has been nominated to the State Department for Cabinet Affairs. He will be vetted by the Committee on Administration and Internal Affairs chaired by Narok West legislator Gabriel Tongoyo.
At the same time, Mr Philip Harsame nominated as PS in the State Department of Crops and Mr Chris Kiptoo, who is PS nominee for National Treasury will also be facing MPs in the committees on Agriculture and Finance and Planning respectively.
Dr Kiptoo, who is among the PSs who were retained by President Ruto, is facing MPs at a time they are at loggerhead with Treasury over failure to release funds for Constituency Development Fund.
The chairman of the committee Mr Kuria Kimani told the Sunday Nation that he expects a clear roadmap from the nominee on the recovery of the country’s economy.
“Our economy needs a recovery strategy; we want to know what he will do to resuscitate our economy,” Mr Kimani said.
Mr Raymond Omollo, the PS nominee to the Interior docket will face MPs tomorrow at 11:30am . As Mr Omollo will be tackling security issues, Mr Harry Kimutai will also be before the Committee on Agriculture while former ICT director at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries commission (IEBC) James Muhati will be answering questions on his suitability before the committee on Finance and planning committee.
Mr Muhati, the chief executive officer of Huduma Kenya has been nominated as PS in the State department for economic planning. The vetting committees must table their reports in House by November 24.
