Vetting of President Ruto's PS nominees begins today

The vetting of Principal Secretary (PS) nominees will begin on Monday with four National Assembly committees set to conduct approval hearings.

The 51 nominees who have already been interviewed by the Public Service Commission (PSC) will be vetted by the departmental committees, which will then table their findings before parliament for approval.

Vetting will include confirmation of whether the nominees have the statutory clearance certificates from institutions such as Helb, KRA, the DCI, and the Registrar of Political Parties.

With the August House having given a nod to all Cabinet Secretaries, it is expected that it will be no different for the PSs.

The list of nominees shows that President William Ruto selected technocrats for the positions a contrast that will complement his cabinet whose composition majorly leans on the political side.

National Treasury PS nominee Dr. Chris Kiptoo will open the finance and planning committee sitting at 9.00 AM.

Kiptoo is currently the PS for environment, having been re-assigned from the Trade Ministry when President Uhuru Kenyatta carried out a reshuffle in the previous cabinet.

Former IEBC director of ICT James Muhati, nominated to the economic planning docket will face the same panel.

Concurrently the Agriculture committee will also vet Philip Harsama to serve as PS Crop Development before Harry Kimutai, who will serve as Livestock Development PS.

Facing the Administration and Internal Affairs committee will be former Devolution PS Julius Korir, Raymond Omollo, Prof. Julius Bittok, and Aurelia Rono.

In the afternoon, the Health Committee will vet current labour PS Eng. Peter Tum before Dr. Josephine Mburu faces the same panel.

On Tuesday the departmental committees of Administration and Internal Affairs, Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations, Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, and Blue Economy and Irrigation will conduct the approval hearing for the Principal Secretaries in their respective dockets.

To conclude the week, 11 principal secretaries will defend their nominations to the respective ministries.

Members of the public have been urged to submit memoranda for or against the nominees which will form part of vetting process.

The exercise will be conducted between November 14 and November 18.