Principals face tough task of naming new ministers
By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU ashiundu@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Saturday, June 16 2012 at 20:04
Posted Saturday, June 16 2012 at 20:04
President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga may have to interrupt their heartache of losing key allies and fill the vacant slots of the security docket.
Speaking separately to the Sunday Nation on Saturday, Mr Mwalimu Mati of governance lobby Mars Group and Dr Ekuru Aukot, a former director of the team that drafted the Constitution, said the two principals have to immediately appoint replacements for Prof George Saitoti and Orwa Ojode due to the many security challenges facing the country.
The concern over the vacuum in the Ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration comes on the day that top government officials converge in Ndhiwa for the funeral of Mr Ojode. Prof Saitoti was buried in Enkasiti village in Kajiado county on Saturday.
Mr Mati and Dr Aukot said the threat of terrorism, the push for peace ahead of the General Election, a peaceful transition and a stable country after the elections are among the reasons the vacancies have to be filled soon by credible leaders.
Mr Simeon Lesirma, an assistant minister in the ministry, is still in office. “I don’t know if this ministry had any form of succession plan. But by this time, Mr Lesirma, with his experience, should have been appointed acting minister. Due to its nature, that ministry cannot be left vacant for too long,” Dr Aukot said.
Mr Mati said the President and the Prime Minister should not appoint “partisan” individuals to the ministry.
He said a perception of bias at the helm of the ministry, in support of any of the candidates vying for seats would be a dangerous move.
“We’ve all heard in the eulogies for Prof Saitoti and Mr Ojode that these two doing their work just like a job.
“They did not put political party interests ahead of the country’s security. It will not be fair to appoint people who have been vocally partisan in favour of the (presidential) candidates and certainly not the candidates themselves,” Mr Mati told the Sunday Nation.
The need for ethnic balance and for the President to appoint someone from Maasailand to replace Prof Saitoti as demanded by the Maasai elder at Prof Saitoti’s funeral is one of the things he would have to deal with.
“There’s definitely going to be a lot of ethnic balancing, but let the President and the PM not force it.
“If there are competent people, that’s not a problem. But if they are not there, let’s not sacrifice merit on such key appointments, just to satisfy other demands,” Mr Mati said.
The Maasai leaders the principals may consider are Nkoidila ole Lankas, Katoo ole Metito, Joseph Nkaissery and Gideon Konchellah.
But the names of Transport minister Amos Kimunya, Kiraitu Murungi of Energy and Dr Noah Wekesa of Environment have been floated as possible Saitoti successors.
The Prime Minister may have to look at Homa Bay county for a replacement of Mr Ojode.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment