Editor's Review

"Richness is not a crime and poverty is dangerous," Junet Mohamed.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has called out the media while defending the net worth of Cabinet nominees appearing before Parliament vetting committee.

Speaking on Friday, August 2, Wetang'ula stated that the question on wealth declaration was among the many questions put before the nominees, but it was highly picked by the media.

"We asked the candidates many incisive questions and the question of their worth was at the tail end of every interview. And the candidates gave clear explanations. But what we see in the headlines is totally different," Wetang'ula remarked.

He asked the media to be fair to the nominees and the committee, noting that the committee was not evaluating their wealth but their suitability to hold public office. 

"We want the media to be fair to both the candidates and the Committee because we are not here to evaluate the wealth of the candidate but to evaluate their suitability to hold public office to which they are nominated to,” Wetang'ula said.

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His deputy, Gladys Shollei, noted that having a high net worth was not a disqualification for the CS nominees.


National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah and Minority Whip Junet Mohamed.

"It's important for the members of the media to understand that the fact that you own properties or your net worth is high is not a disqualification. And the fact that you declare your wealth is not for use now but for use in future if there is alleged corruption against you," Shollei explained.

National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed, who is a member of the vetting committee, remarked that the concern was the source of wealth and the period of accumulation.

"There is no harm in somebody being rich and it is not a crime in somebody being poor. But I think what people expect is a proper explanation on the source of wealth. Let's say you've worked for 30 years and you made wealth of Sh400 million and you've worked for two years, you've made a wealth of Sh150 million. So that is the comparison they are looking at. Richness is not a crime and poverty is dangerous," Junet stated.

This came after Agriculture CS nominee Dr. Andrew Mwihia appeared before the committee and declared to be worth Sh214 million.