Ksh200 million set aside to ensure peaceful transition of presidency
At least Sh200 million will be spent to ensure the next President assumes office without a hitch after the August 9 elections.
Estimates tabled in the National Assembly by the Treasury, before the House ended its term, taxpayers will cough out millions of shillings to ensure the nation’s fifth leader takes over without financial constraints.
“Sh200 million has been provided in the Financial Year 2022/23 Budget to undertake Assumption of Office activities,” stated the report placed before the House on May 19.
The Assumption of Office of the President Act, 2012, is a detailed procedure that must be followed to ensure the winner of a presidential election ascends to power within specific timelines.
The Act establishes a 20-member Assumption of the Office of President committee, with the Secretary to the Cabinet being the chairperson.
The Act was enacted to stop hurried assumption of office, as happened after the contested 2007 General Election when Mwai Kibaki (deceased) was sworn in at twilight.
Many issues have been raised over how the committee will operate without a Secretary to the Cabinet, as the office remains vacant. The President has not filled the post substantially after it was vacated by Francis Kimemia after the 2013 elections.
Kimemia is now Nyandarua Governor and is seeking re-election.
Uhuru’s backers have, however, downplayed the issue, saying the President can delegate the responsibilities to any State officer.
Former Nyamira Senator Kennedy Mong’are has questioned the failure to fill the position, saying it could cause a crisis.
“I foresee a situation where the office of the Secretary to the Cabinet is going to be vacant and there will be no one to oversee the transition of power. The result will be that anyone can swear themselves in as President and the country could be in total anarchy,” Mong’are said.
The President-elect will be expected to forward the names of three people to join the committee.
The day of the swearing-in shall be declared a public holiday.
the Act states.
Members of the team include Attorney General Kihara Kariuki, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, Principal Secretaries Karanja Kibicho (Interior), Julius Muia (Finance), Macharia Kamau (Foreign Affairs) and Jerome Ochieng (ICT). Others are Chief of Defence Forces Robert Kibicho, National Intelligence Services Director-General Philip Kameru, Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai, Clerk of the Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye and Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi.
The President-elect will be expected to forward the names of three people to join the committee.
The committee takes over swearing-in preparations immediately a winner is declared by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
The Act also specifies the exact times for particular activities, indicating that the oath be taken between 10am and 2pm on the identified date.
The day of the swearing-in shall also be declared a public holiday, the Act states.
