Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said that the appointment of Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries shall be slightly delayed due to the president’s impromptu travel to the United Kingdom.
Gachagua noted that the appointment process of the cabinet was already in progress when President Ruto was invited for Queen Elizabeth II’s send off.
Moreover, while speaking with KTN on Sunday, September 18 evening, the DP intimated that the appointment may be finalized in two weeks.
He further added that the vetting process is already in motion and the President plans to appoint both the CSs alongside the PSs.
Nevertheless, Gachagua urged Kenyans to remain patient as they wait for the announcement of the cabinet members.
However, the DP noted that the government is still functional as himself together with the President are holding fort.
“It is now when we wanted to sit down and form government then it became necessary for his to travel of the country when he comes back, I hear he has initiated the process of consultation,” said Gachagua.
“I don’t think the president wants to appoint the Cabinet Secretaries without the Principal secretaries. I’m not sure of the time but I’d say like two weeks so Kenyans should be patient. In any case there is no vacuum. The President and his Deputy are working. We don’t have as much support as we would want but the two of us are keeping things going.” He added.
Furthermore, Gachagua reported that the new government is still working with a few leaders from the previous administration as they await for the official transition.
“We are still working with officers from the previous administration but once we get a full team that believes in the bottom-up economic model that believes that we need to have less government in people’s lives and more services to the people of Kenya,” he said.
Moreover, applications for the PS positions are underway untill Tuesday, which will then allow the Public Service Commission (PSC) to analyze the applications, shortlist the selected candidates for interviews.
Additionally, after President Ruto has named his Cabinet nominees, they will be subjected to vetting by the National Assembly’s committee on appointments, which is yet to be established.
Likewise, it is only after the nominees are approved by Parliament that they will be appointed and sworn in to take over from their predecessors.
However, the Principal Secretaries will go through a lengthy process that must begin with interviews by the PSC which will then recommend a list of qualifying candidates to the President.
The President then picks the nominees and transmit their names to Parliament which through departmental committees will vet.
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If the parliament approve the nominees, President Ruto will now appoint and swear in the PSs.