Executive order impediment to oversight role, says lobby
The rivalry between the Executive and other arms of government appears to be far from over with the civil society groups now accusing the former for trying to micro-manage the activities of independent institutions.
In a statement sent to newsrooms by the Civil Society Reference Group (CRSG), the lobby took a swipe at President Uhuru Kenyatta alleging that the executive order was brought about to bar the concerned organisations from conducting their oversight role to the Executive at this time of exacerbated graft and corruption as the country fights Covid-19.
“The Civil Society Reference Group is concerned that the President could be taking undue advantage of the Covid-19 situation in the country and differences within his own Jubilee Party to emasculate institutions of governance as exemplified by his Executive Order No. 1 of 2020,”said the presiding convener of the CRSG Suba Churchill.
In the statement, Churchill rallied behind Chief Justice David Maraga who last week poked on the executive order saying the Judiciary is neither a ministry nor a State department to be subjected by the executive order which has continued to receive mixed reactions from Kenyans.
“The Chief Justice was, therefore, justified in his concern that the President had deliberately created the impression that the President superintends not just over the Executive that he heads but the judicial arm of government as well,” added Churchill.
In what is likely to escalate more differences, Churchill has poked more holes in the executive order saying the civil sector has suffered immensely from a similar executive order which was issued sometime back transferring the sector from the Ministry of Devolution.
But the Executive, through the Attorney General Paul Kihara, has denied any attempts to micromanage the independent institutions saying the President has a duty to ensure there is synergy among all government agencies.
