Angered by cabinet secretaries’ summary sense of self-importance, members of parliament have begun holding CS to a strict code that one only hopes can last.
President William Ruto’s Cabinet Secretaries are facing mounting scrutiny from within the ruling Kenya Kwanza Alliance. In an unexpected turn of events, government-allied legislators are emerging as the vanguards of accountability as the opposition feigns apathy. This unexpected criticism from within the government’s own ranks is the cause of some internal friction within the ruling coalition, but which may turn out to be good for Kenyans overall.
The hope from Kenyans is that the echo chamber of criticism reverberating from the Kenya Kwanza MPs is not merely a theatrical display of internal party dynamics but a resonant call for accountability.
As the Kenya Kwanza – and especially those from the UDA fold – MPs raise their voices against members of Cabinet, their actions call attention to a fundamental maxim: state and public officials are not a law unto themselves.
The case of Sports and Youth Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba’s reprimand for his negligence in facilitating the participation of Kenya’s team in the Special Olympics lays bare the complexity of their stance. The MPs’ demand for an explanation pleasantly surprised Kenyans who have all but given up hope of quality service delivery from Ruto’s mainly bumbling Cabinet. This is what is needed to propel Kenya towards its socio-economic and developmental goals.
Leading the charge
National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah leads the charge against cabinet secretaries who ignore House summons, and his fiery admonitions to Namwamba – later echoed by deputy Speaker Gladys Shollei are a welcome break from the sycophancy that often besets ruling regimes. The Majority Leader was equally unambiguous in his criticism of Labour and Social Protection CS Florence Bore for her failing to honour House summons.
“It is not just discourteous, it is contempt of the House,” said Ichung’wah. “We must make it clear as a House that we shall not allow any CS, however mighty you may perceive yourself to be, to hold the people’s representatives with contempt and to the institution of Parliament.”
While it remains to be seen whether Ichung’wah’s lament was the result of an actual desire for accountability or an ego-satisfying game given Parliament’s penchance for lording it over other arms of government and state
agencies.
However, in this seeming wave of accountability, the focus seems to go beyond Cabinet; heads of various government agencies have also found themselves dealing with the wrath of MPs. A case in point was when the acting Director-General of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Rispah Simiyu, admitted to the palpable presence of political interference and backroom deals in the recent recruitment of Revenue Service Assistants (RSAs). The revelation that two dominant ethnic communities secured
57 percent of the 1,406 vacancies evoked dismay among senators from the ruling party and the Opposition.
The Senate Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunities, and Regional Integration swiftly responded to the disclosure, labeling the recruitment exercise as “unacceptable.” Tellingly, nothing has been done beyond this frothing at the mouth on the senators’ part, calling to question the object of their criticism.
“I am a member of the UDA party, and I am not happy with the latest recruitment by the KRA. I know there was politics involved, but this is bad politics,” said Committee chairman Mohammed Chute.
The congurence of legislators in this collective quest for public accountability should continue to build to ensure that Parliament can, indeed, be the people’s voice.
To some, these latest moves are only meant to hoodwink Kenyans – and they may be right. But the fact remains that publicly holding state officers to account and asking them the difficult questions stands as a pillar of governance and deterrent of abuse of office that we must uphold and celebrate.
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