Saturday, July 20, 2013

Uhuru-Ruto hirings miss ‘face of Kenya’

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Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ms Amina Mohammed. The President and his deputy stand accused of favouring regions that voted for them in the appointments. Photo/PHOEBE OKALL |FILE
Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Ms Amina Mohammed. The President and his deputy stand accused of favouring regions that voted for them in the appointments. Photo/PHOEBE OKALL |FILE  NATION MEDIA GROUP
By ISAAC ONGIRI iongiri@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, July 18  2013 at  23:30
ubilee’s public appointments have faced criticism over claims they failed to adhere to ethnic balancing.
President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto stand accused of favouring their regions in Cabinet appointments.
At least 11 Cabinet secretaries hail from Mt Kenya and Rift Valley, where the two leaders received massive support in the March 4 polls.
The two regions also got 16 of the 26 principal secretary appointments — sparking silent protests from unsatisfied regions and communities.
Kitutu Chache MP Jimmy Angwenyi and Migori County Women Representative Denita Ghati are among several MPs who have questioned regional balance in the appointments, with Mr Angwenyi pinpointing the absence of a nominee from Gusii community in the appointment of PSs.
“The sharing of positions has been skewed to favour a few communities. Even the Kuria voted for the Jubilee Government but they have been sidelined in the appointments,” Ms Ghati said.
She said that appointments to public office should reflect the face of Kenya, adding that the President lost an opportunity to reconcile the nation by sharing out the seats fairly.
In the Cabinet appointments, the cosmopolitan Rift Valley received five seats with only two communities winning all the slots. Eastern and Central had three, two each for Nyanza, North Eastern and Coast. “This idea of isolating parts of the country in public appointments is not a good trend,” warned Kasipul Kabondo MP Oyugi Magwanga.
But Starehe MP Maina Kamanda defended the appointments, arguing that satisfying all the communities in the country is not possible.
Commission for Implementation of Constitution chairman Charles Nyachae said the lapses that may have occurred in the appointments should have been addressed during Parliament vetting.

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