mwitaz
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 19, 2012
- 315
- 93
Pressure piles on
principals to fill
vacant posts
By Alex Ndegwa
President Kibaki and Prime
Minister Raila Odinga are
under pressure to make
substantive appointments
in the ministries of Local
Government, and Internal security and Provincial
Administration because of
pending elections. Members of Parliament say
the critical roles of the
ministries to secure
homeland security,
peaceful elections, and
smooth transition to devolved governments
require that the holders
have undivided attention
and power, the lawmakers
argue. Portfolios held in acting
capacity, including the
Ministry of
Industrialisation, which has
been without a substantive
minister for the last 18 month, they say, should be
filled because there are
competent individuals. The
two principals are
reportedly considering a
Cabinet reshuffle following the devastating loss of
Internal Security Minister
George Saitoti and
Assistant Minister Joshua
Orwa Ojode. The Local Government
ministerial office fell vacant
on May 2, when Deputy
Prime Minister Musalia
Mudavadi quit as minister
and Orange Democratic Movement deputy leader. The sensitivity of the
positions Saitoti and Ojode
held, Kenyas military
operation in Somalia, a
breakaway threat at the
Coast, and the need for peaceful elections are
reportedly influencing the
impending shake up in
Government. Kibaki this week, however,
picked Defence Minister
Yusuf Haji to act as Internal
Security minister, but MPs
argue the circumstance of
war and elections require that the holder should
have not have divided
loyalties. It is expected the
changes will see the
confirmation of Francis
Kimemia as Head of Civil Service and Secretary to
the Cabinet. Mr Francis
Muthaura held the position,
until he stepped aside
following indictment by the
International Criminal Court. Two dockets On Wednesday, the
chairman of Parliaments
Constitutional
Implementation Oversight
Committee Abdikadir
Mohammed said devolution was key to implementation
of the Constitution,
stressing the line ministry,
Local Government, should
have a full-time minister. Abdikadir argued although
the deadlock over the
devolution laws had been
unlocked, much more was
pending, including setting
up of institutions, structures, and systems to
support the new levels of
government. The earlier we have a
substantive holder the
better. On time
management it is expected
a minister straddling two
dockets would have half the time for each,
Abdikadir said. In the last two weeks it
had been evident that
things were a little bit lax,
he added, alluding to the
standoff over Bills, which
prompted CIOC to intervene. It would have been nice
to have a substantive
minister to partner with in
these critical issues, the
Mandera Central MP said,
referring to a conference for MPs scheduled for the
weekend on the
preparedness of county
governments to run their
affairs. House Local Authorities
Committee chairman David
Ngugi said Local
Government was an
executive portfolio, just
like that of Finance, which demanded a substantive
holder. Devolution falls squarely
on the ministry and we
should not waste time with
an acting minister and
people who are not in
charge. I call on the two principals to urgently
appoint a substantive
minister, Ngugi pleaded.
Source: READ HERE
principals to fill
vacant posts
By Alex Ndegwa
President Kibaki and Prime
Minister Raila Odinga are
under pressure to make
substantive appointments
in the ministries of Local
Government, and Internal security and Provincial
Administration because of
pending elections. Members of Parliament say
the critical roles of the
ministries to secure
homeland security,
peaceful elections, and
smooth transition to devolved governments
require that the holders
have undivided attention
and power, the lawmakers
argue. Portfolios held in acting
capacity, including the
Ministry of
Industrialisation, which has
been without a substantive
minister for the last 18 month, they say, should be
filled because there are
competent individuals. The
two principals are
reportedly considering a
Cabinet reshuffle following the devastating loss of
Internal Security Minister
George Saitoti and
Assistant Minister Joshua
Orwa Ojode. The Local Government
ministerial office fell vacant
on May 2, when Deputy
Prime Minister Musalia
Mudavadi quit as minister
and Orange Democratic Movement deputy leader. The sensitivity of the
positions Saitoti and Ojode
held, Kenyas military
operation in Somalia, a
breakaway threat at the
Coast, and the need for peaceful elections are
reportedly influencing the
impending shake up in
Government. Kibaki this week, however,
picked Defence Minister
Yusuf Haji to act as Internal
Security minister, but MPs
argue the circumstance of
war and elections require that the holder should
have not have divided
loyalties. It is expected the
changes will see the
confirmation of Francis
Kimemia as Head of Civil Service and Secretary to
the Cabinet. Mr Francis
Muthaura held the position,
until he stepped aside
following indictment by the
International Criminal Court. Two dockets On Wednesday, the
chairman of Parliaments
Constitutional
Implementation Oversight
Committee Abdikadir
Mohammed said devolution was key to implementation
of the Constitution,
stressing the line ministry,
Local Government, should
have a full-time minister. Abdikadir argued although
the deadlock over the
devolution laws had been
unlocked, much more was
pending, including setting
up of institutions, structures, and systems to
support the new levels of
government. The earlier we have a
substantive holder the
better. On time
management it is expected
a minister straddling two
dockets would have half the time for each,
Abdikadir said. In the last two weeks it
had been evident that
things were a little bit lax,
he added, alluding to the
standoff over Bills, which
prompted CIOC to intervene. It would have been nice
to have a substantive
minister to partner with in
these critical issues, the
Mandera Central MP said,
referring to a conference for MPs scheduled for the
weekend on the
preparedness of county
governments to run their
affairs. House Local Authorities
Committee chairman David
Ngugi said Local
Government was an
executive portfolio, just
like that of Finance, which demanded a substantive
holder. Devolution falls squarely
on the ministry and we
should not waste time with
an acting minister and
people who are not in
charge. I call on the two principals to urgently
appoint a substantive
minister, Ngugi pleaded.
Source: READ HERE
