President Uhuru’s recent public appointments seem to expose a communication breakdown in the Jubilee government. Last week the President appointed 26 heads of parastatals and scores of Kenyans including MPs were not impressed by some of the names which critics refer to as ‘political failures and personal friends’.

These include the likes of former Garsen MP Danson Mungatana who lost in the Tana River county gubernatorial race in the March 4th 2013 elections, former Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi who failed to recapture his seat and Francis Muthaura among others.

ABDUBA DIDA: SO GOOD HE WAS APPOINTED TWICE?

However, Abduba Dida’s appointment to head the CDF board caused the most uproar in the country with MPs criticizing the President for not following the established legal channel in making the appointment as stipulated under the CDF Act 2013 which states that only the Cabinet Secretary for matters dealing with CDF has powers to appoint a chair of the board from among members who have been vetted by Parliament.

APPOINTED TWICE…

Quite incredibly, it turns out that that the ‘March fourth elections’ presidential contender was appointed in parallel by both the President and the Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru in whose docket the CDF falls. The President made his appointment on December 31, 2013, through Gazette Notice Vol CXV-183 four days after Ms Waiguru appointed Dida through Gazette Notice Vol. CXV-No.18.

The CDF Act states that the Cabinet secretary shall appoint the Chairperson of the Board from a set of four board members.

Ms Waiguru has since then revoked her appointment through notice 112 dated January 3, 2014, following Uhuru’s subsequent appointment.

“It is notified for the information of the general public that Gazette Notice No. 15728 of 2013, issued under section 5 (4) of the Constituencies Development Fund Act stands revoked,” Waiguru’s notice stated.

“PRESIDENT UHURU ILL ADVISED” SAYS RUTO

President Uhuru has subsequently received a lot of criticism across the country and especially since this is the second appointment he has made irregularly and has been forced to revoke in order to allow due legal process to take place.

Two months ago, President Uhuru Kenyatta revoked his appointment of John Mututho as chairman of the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA). That was after it turned out that he did not pass the name to parliament for approval.

PRESIDENT MISLED?

Deputy President William Ruto made headlines yesterday when he publicly admitted that President Kenyatta has been misled by his advisors into making several illegal public appointments.

Nyamira Senator Mong’are Bwo Okong’o also asked the President to seek wider consultation before making civil service appointments to avoid denting his reputation.

“PARASTATAL APPOINTMENTS AGAINST JUBILEE MANIFESTO”

Person’s living with disability have been top on the list of the people who have been vocal about condemning Uhuru’s recent appointments of parastatal heads, citing exclusion of the disabled in the leadership of the jubilee government.

The constitution under article 54(2) provides for at least five per cent of the members of the public in elective and appointive bodies to be awarded to persons with disability.

“We wish to call upon the president and his deputy William Ruto to review these appointments to reflect the realities of our nation and the constitution which they swore to protect, defend and uphold,” read a statement from the representative of people with disability, Martin Wanjohi.

COORDINATION REQUIRED

It does appear in the matter of public appointments and in other areas, that the right hand of Kenya’s government doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. More coordination required, says the Kenya Forum!