President Wiliam Ruto has called out Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u for having enormous number of men in his committee as compared to women who are only four.
The head of state said he noticed that the Treasury CS had only four women and sixteen men in the Pending Bills Verification Committee, adding that it lacked gender balance hence, unconstitutional.
Further, while addressing CS Njuguna Ndungu in what he termed as ‘Housekeeping Manenos’ which loosely translates to House matters, the president rallied for an increase in the number of women in the committee.
“When I looked at the composition of the committee, it was clear to me that it was unconstitutional because it lacked gender balance,” said Ruto.
President Ruto’s Directive to CS Ndung’u
Likewise, the head of state while speaking during the Tuesday, November 7 ‘housekeeping’ meeting urged CS Ndung’u to work in accordance with the constitution regarding gender balance.
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“I respectively suggest Mr. Minister that you either reduce the number of men or add the number of women so that it is unconstitutional,” said the President.
The Commitee on Pending Bills
Further, the Cabinet in June this year approved the establishment of a special committee on pending bills.
Notably, the Pending Bills Verification Committee is tasked with the auditing of liabilities for the period between 2005 and 2022. They are required to present a final report within a year.
The committee consisting of individuals from government entities is set to examine and submit interim reports to the treasury cabinet secretary.
Members of the committee include the Attorney General, the State Department of Roads, the State Department of Public Works, the State Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority.
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Others are from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, the Law Society of Kenya, the Institute of Engineers of Kenya, and the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya, among others.
CS Adds More Men to the Commitee
However, CS Njuguna Ndung’u recently added two new members (all men) to the Pending Bills Verification Committee.
A gazette notice dated November 2, indicates that Geoffrey Malombe and Oliver Kipchumba Karori are the new Joint Secretaries of the committee.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning appoints Geoffrey Malombe and Oliver Kipchumba to be the Joint Secretaries of the Pending Bills Verification Committee, constituted via Gazette Notice No. 13355 of 2023 dated November 2, 2023,” the notice reads in part.
