Kalonzo urges Ruto to drop some CS nominees to avoid ‘international shame’
Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka now wants President William Ruto to reconsider some of his Cabinet nominees on grounds that some have serious integrity issues.
Speaking at an Azimio la Umoja - One Kenya coalition press conference on Friday, September 30, Kalonzo said persons with pending criminal cases should not have featured in the President's 22-member team.
He suggested that the Head of State should drop the nominees to avoid 'national and international shame'.
"The selection of the Cabinet Secretaries, some of whom have amazingly active criminal cases, is unquestionable. What are you asking our parliamentarians to do? If I was William Ruto, I would withdraw some of these completely to avoid national shame and even international shame," Kalonzo said.
The Wiper party boss said Azimio MPs will reject nominees with questionable integrity and competencies.
"The selection of cabinet secretaries, some of whom have active criminal cases, is questionable. This was not procedurally done, on the basis of competencies and personal integrity and we shall direct our MPs to withhold approval of those who do not meet the Chapter Six threshold of our Constitution," he said.
Ruto's campaign promise
The Azimio camp also hit out at the Head of State for failing to honour his promise on allocating 11 cabinet slots (50%) to women.
"Of the total number, only seven women were named contrary to the campaign promise of a 50:50 Cabinet," he added.
Ruto on Tuesday expressed confidence that the Cabinet nominees will deliver on their mandate, once approved by the parliament.
"I have trust in their competence and suitability to execute their duties and implement our PLAN that millions of Kenyans voted for," Ruto said.
Some of the nominees with pending cases in court include former Malindi Member of Parliament Aisha Jumwa, who was nominated as Public Service and Gender CS, and former Meru Senator Mithika nominated to take over from Peter Munya in the Agriculture docket.
Jumwa and her bodyguard Geoffrey Okuto are linked to the death of Ngumbao Jola, a 48-year-old-man, who was murdered in the chaos that ensued during campaigns for a by-election in Ganda Ward in Malindi on October 15, 2019.
She is also battling graft charges over the alleged misappropriation of ksh19 million, funds meant for the Malindi Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Minturi, on the other hand, was in September last year charged with attempted rape. The former legislator is alleged to have attempted to sexually assault a woman at the Maiyan Villas Hotel in Nanyuki, Laikipia County on January 10, 2021.
“On January 30, 2021, at around the 3am at Maiyan Villas Hotel, Nanyuki in Laikipia East Sub-County in the Republic of Kenya, you (Linturi) intentionally touched the [woman] without her consent,” the charges read in part.
He is out on Ksh200, 00 cash bail.
