President William Ruto's new Cabinet nominees will learn their fate on Thursday next week as they face a make-or-break week on whether or not they will be approved by MPs to join the broad-based government.
The development comes after National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula set January 16, 2025 as a special sitting day to table and debate the vetting report of the three nominees.
Lawmakers will also debate the vetting reports of other nominees to various state offices, including positions of high commissioners, ambassadors and diplomatic representatives during the special sitting.
The CS nominees include Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture and Livestock Development), Lee Kinyanjui (Investments, Trade and Industry) and William Kabogo (Information, Communications and The Digital Economy).
The three will appear before the Committee on Appointments chaired by Speaker Wetang’ula two days earlier on January 14, 2025.
Mr Kagwe will open the vetting exercise at noon followed by Mr Kabogo before the committee closes the exercise with Mr Kinyanjui.
Mr Kagwe is set to replace Lawrence Karanja who has been nominated for appointment as ambassador to Brazil while Mr Kabogo is set to take over from Dr Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u who has been nominated for appointment as High Commissioner to Ghana.
On the other hand, Mr Kinyanjui will replace Salim Mvurya who has been moved to the Sports docket to replace Kipchumba Murkomen (now Interior and National Administration CS).
“Now therefore, it is hereby notified to all members of the National Assembly and the general public that Thursday, January 16, 2025 has been appointed as a day for special sittings of the National Assembly,” said Mr Wetang’ula.
“The special sittings will be held in the National Assembly Chamber commencing at 10am and at 2.30pm for the morning and afternoon sittings, respectively,” he added.
The House is currently on a long recess after adjourning last month and will resume normal sittings next month.
However, the MPs have now been recalled for the special sitting at the request of the Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu MP).
The development comes as the window given to the public to submit memoranda with evidence contesting the suitability of any of the candidates to hold the office to which the candidate has been nominated lapsed on January 3.
Speaker Wetang’ula said the special sitting will see the tabling and debate on the report of the Committee on Appointments on its consideration of the three nominees.
The same process will follow for reports of the Departmental committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations as well as the Departmental Committee on Labour.
The vetting of the new nominees will begin on January 9 with eight picks to the public service commission (PSC) facing the departmental committee on Labour in a marathon exercise.
The Runyenjes MP Erick Muchangi-led committee will vet the PSC starting 8.30am until late in the day.
Ms Mary Wanjira Kimonye has been nominated as the vice-chairperson of the PSC while Harun Maalim Hassan, Mwanamaka Amani Mabruki, Francis Meja, Dr Irene Cherotich Asienga, Boya Molu, Joan Andisi Machayo, and Dr Francis Otieno Owino as PSC members.
Mr Karanja, Ms Ndung’u, former Sports minister Ababu Namwamba (permanent representative to the United Nations Environment Programme/United Nations Office at Nairobi, and ex-deputy Inspector-General Noor Gabow (consul-general to Port-au-Prince, Haiti) will face the Narok West Gabriel Tongoyo-led Defence committee.
Ms Ndung’u will open the exercise at 9am followed by Mr Karanja at 11am with Mr Namwamba appearing before the committee at 2pm with Ms Gabow closing the day.
“The Committees are required to commence the necessary vetting processes as contemplated under the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act and upon conclusion of the approval hearings, submit respective reports by close of business on January 15, 2025,” said Speaker Wetang'ula.
The Speaker had recalled the three committees to commence vetting of the nominees after President Ruto notified the speaker of the nomination of persons for appointment.
He said that notwithstanding the suspension of committee activities, the three committees have been permitted to hold sittings during the recess period for purposes of considering the nominees.
The day will also see the tabling of any urgent papers with statutory timelines as well as consideration of some priority Bills.
They include the consideration of the mediated version of the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill, subject to the conclusion of the mediation process.
There will also be debate on the report of the Labour committee on its consideration of nominees for appointment as chairperson and members of the Salaries and Remuneration Commission.
Some of the Bills, at the Committee of the whole House stage, are The Startup Bill, 2022; and The Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2023.
Speaker Wetang’ula added that the House will also consider any other priority business certified as urgent.
