MPs Pass Bill to Have Cabinet Secretaries Appointed From Parliament

Parliament has approved a bill that will see the President appoint Cabinet Secretaries from the National Assembly.

The bill was passed by the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee (CIOC) chaired by Member of Parliament for Ndaragwa, Jeremiah Kioni.

The bill further proposed that Governors will get to appoint Executive Committee Members (CECs) from Members of the County Assembly (MCAs).

Ndaragwa MP Jeremiah Kioni. |Photo| Courtesy|

Currently, CSs are appointed from technocrats, however, the bill now proposes that they be picked from among parliamentarians.

This comes after Speaker Justin Muturi stated that no amendments will be made to a bill intended to amend the Constitution of Kenya 2010.

“Committee, noting the proposals from the public and having considered the same together with the Court of Appeal decision in Civil Appeal no E291 of 2021 over the constitutionality of the Building Bridges Initiative (Constitutional Amendment) Bill 2020, recommends that it be adopted and passed without amendments,” the committee's report read in part.

The MPs argued that appointing CSs from parliament or the County Assemblies would increase accountability for the respective Ministries.

According to the lawmakers, CSs will be probed by their colleagues on progresses within the Ministries.

They further argued that the MPs appointed as cabinet secretaries would be more effective as they are more in touch and accountable to members of the public.

The legislators also noted that the new structure would save the governments huge sums of money in terms of salaries meant for CECs and CSs.

According to the MPs, the executives will be entitled to ministry allowances as opposed to full salaries.

They also stated that the budget committee would ensure equal resource allocation.

The bill also seeks to allow the President to assign the Attorney General duties of a Cabinet Secretary.