President Ruto swear in 50 CASs sworn into office after parliament fail to vet them

The fifty nominees for the positions of Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) have today been sworn into in a ceremony presided over by President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi.

They were formally appointed yesterday.

While they were expected to undergo vetting, State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed in a statement said the Speaker of the National Assembly referred back to the president, noting that the August House has no constitutional authority to vet the CAS nominees.

The National Assembly failed to vet the nominees citing the lack of constitutional authority to carry out the exercise.

“The obligation to respect, uphold and defend the Constitution enjoins the House to refrain from assuming and discharging a role that it has not been expressly assigned by the Constitution or written law. In that regard, the National Assembly is unable to vet the nominees in the absence of an express constitutional or statutory requirement to do so.” National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula said.

President had nominated the CASs from a list shortlisted by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

“To facilitate the ascension of the Chief Administrative Secretaries to Office, the State Appointees are now scheduled to subscribe to their solemn Oath of Office.” Hussein noted.

Even though the Constitution caps ministries at 22, the CAS position that was created by Dr Ruto’s predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta does not limit the President.

Last week, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua defended the President’s ‘bloated’ Chief Administrative Secretaries list saying they found a ruined economy and to improve it they require a bigger team.

He said the main work for CASs will be moving across the world looking for the markets as the CSs concentrate on their office work.

They include Kenya Kwanza’s digital strategist Dennis Itumbi, former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero, and ex- Nominated Senator Millicent Omanga are among fifty Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) who were all appointed following a recommendation by the Public Service Commission (PSC).

President Ruto nominated Itumbi to the Ministry of Information Communications and The Digital Economy, Kidero (Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry) while Omanga was nominated to the Interior ministry alongside former Narok governor Samuel Tunai and former North Eastern Regional Co-ordinator Ambassador Mohamud Ali Saleh.

Former Laikipia Woman Representative Catherine Waruguru, former Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Secretary-General Wilson Sossion and former Starehe Member of Parliament t Charles Njagua Kanyi were nominated into the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage and Ministry of Youth Affairs, Arts and Sports respectively.

Alfred Agoi was nominated Ministry of Defence while Kirui Limo and Beatrice Nkatha went to the National treasury.