Experts to keep politicians out of the Cabinet

Kenyans will soon have to get used to Cabinet Secretary — the new name for ministers in the new Constitution.

Ministries will be known as State Departments, while Permanent Secretaries will be called Principal Secretaries.

Ministries will be a minimum of 14 and a maximum of 22. Currently, there are 42 ministries, 54 assistant ministers and a permanent secretary in each ministry.

The enactment of the new Constitution will see a decline in the number of top ranking government members from the current 98 to 24, including the President and Deputy-President.

The shrinking of the Executive is good news to Kenyans as it will save the Exchequer billions of shillings in salaries and allowances annually.

The position of prime minister ends with this Parliament. It was a temporary post created by the National Accord following the post-election violence that killed 1,133 people.

The new Constitution, to be promulgated next Friday, retains a president and vice-president but does away with assistant ministers.

This is because Cabinet Secretaries, who will be appointed from outside Parliament, will have not have constituency responsibilities and their principal secretaries will assist them.

The President will not have the sole authority to appoint Cabinet Secretaries.

Approval from House

The new law says: “The President shall nominate and, with the approval of the National Assembly, appoint Cabinet Secretaries”.

The same rule will apply in the appointment of the Attorney General and Secretary to the Cabinet.

The Public Service Commission will recommend persons for appointment as Principal Secretary to the president who will then seek approval from the National Assembly.

The new law allows the President to reassign or dismiss a Cabinet Secretary or Principal Secretary.

The Head of State will also be compelled to sack a Cabinet Secretary if the National Assembly adopts a resolution that they have committed a crime, violated the Constitution or engaged in gross misconduct.

Cabinet Secretaries will be required to appear before Parliamentary Committees if called upon. They will also be required to regularly update Parliament on their dockets.