National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has suspended the vetting of Principal Secretary (PS) nominees following a court order.
The speaker also said that the court order will be challenged immediately by Parliament.
Moreover, Wetangula also barred committees that have already vetted PS nominees from considering their suitability until the case is concluded.
“It is notified to all chairpersons of departmental committees, all persons nominated as Principal Secretaries and the general public that the vetting of persons nominated to serve as principal secretaries is hereby suspended forthwith until further notice,” Wetangula stated.
Likewise, the committees that had already vetted principal secretaries that fall under their oversight, are advised to suspend any activity relating to reporting to the House on the proceedings.
“I have directed our Litigation Counsel to move the concerned court to set aside the ex-parte orders based on various legal grounds. Thereafter, the proceedings will resume subject to the directions of the Court,” said the speaker.
Nonetheless, Justice Nzioki wa Makau in a temporary order directed the National Assembly to stop the PS nominees vetting process that started on Monday pending hearing of a suit filed by the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) over legality of the list compiled by Public Service Commission (PSC).
LSK argues that the nomination from a list of the 477 shortlisted candidates was discriminatory.
Also Read: Court Stops Vetting and Appointment of PS Nominees
While faulting the PSC, the Lawyers’ lobby also claims that the larger public and the sidelined communities will suffer continued injustice and alienation in the appointments to key positions in the country.
“The people of Kenya will be adversely affected in their individual capacity and collectively as an organization working with an Executive that does not reflect the face of Kenya,” LSK told court when seeking the injunction.
Furthermore, LSK argues that the nominations are unlawful and unconstitutional for failing to meet the two-thirds gender requirement as well as regional and tribal balance.
While relating to gender composition, LSK says the list is made up of 11 women out of the 51 nominees. Hence, failing the two-thirds test.
As such LSK wants the court to quash the list and order the PSC to repeat the selection of candidates.
