TNA MPs have urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to sack a number of his ministers for non-performance. The MPs have also asked the President to shake up the security sector by replacing some of the top brass, whom they accuse of failing in their duties.
At a meeting with the President last week, the TNA and some URP MPs of the ruling Coalition told the President that some ministers had performed so dismally, keeping them in the Cabinet could cost Jubilee a second term.
They also asked the President to remove some of the Principal secretaries, whom they slammed as non-performers. “We have told the President, in no uncertain terms, that, unless he acts now, Jubilee will not win a second term,” said a senior Coalition leader.
Among those the legislators have asked the President to fire are Environment Cabinet Secretary Judi Wakhungu, Industrialization’s Adan Mohammed, Raychelle Omamo of Defence and Joseph Kaimenyi of Education.
They particularly accuse Kaimenyi of failing to deliver on the President’s key pledge of laptops for all Class One pupils. The laptop tender was awarded to Indian company Olive, but was annulled by the Public Procurement Oversight Authority. Olive has contested the decision in Court.
Mohammed is accused of failing to ensure industry issues are well tackled to facilitate the creation of jobs in the private and informal sector for millions of young people.
Wakhungu is accused of not doing enough to ensure that all Kenyans have clean piped water and water reservoirs, especially dams built on drylands.
Wakhungu is also faulted on the poaching menace, which the MPs observed has spun out of control under her watch. “These ministers have no pressure to deliver on the key pledges the President and his Deputy made during the election campaigns. Some of them do not even see the reason to update the country on their progress,” said an influential Jubilee senator.
As part of their push to improve the performance of the Cabinet, MPs have also initiated a move to have all ministers appear on the floor of the House to answer searching questions.
Currently Ministers give answers to committee chairmen or the Leader of the Majority, who respond on their behalf. The lawmakers now want to end that practice by amending the relevant Standing Order to provide for the appearance in person of individual Cabinet secretaries.
The President is reported to have agreed with the MPs that some of his ministers were performing below par – and promised to do something about it.
He is understood to have told the MPs that he will review the performance of all his ministers and those who have not have met their targets will be fired.
The Cabinet is composed of the President, his Deputy, the Attorney General and 18 secretaries who are not politicians. The Constitution however provides for a maximum of 22 secretaries, who, before their appointment, must be vetted by a parliamentary committee.
Under Article 153(2) Cabinet secretaries are accountable individually and collectively to the President for the exercise of their powers and the performance of their functions. The same article gives the President power to fire members of the Cabinet.
- the-star.co.ke
