Claims of graft cost PSs jobs

Nairobi. A vast majority of permanent secretaries from the Kibaki administration were left out of the principal secretary nominees named by President Kenyatta on Friday over alleged integrity issues and claims that some of them were too overbearing.

Others fell by the wayside after intense boardroom consultations between President Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto, some Cabinet Secretaries and a team of technocrats.

A key factor that came into play as the talks unfolded was communication between the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and State House over the integrity of some of the shortlisted nominees.

Corruption allegations and claims that some permanent secretaries were too overbearing and not team players contributed to the shock exclusion of the vast majority of PSs who served under President Kibaki.

Intense boardroom consultations between President Uhuru Kenyatta, Deputy President William Ruto, some Cabinet Secretaries and a team of technocrats took place days before the 26 principal secretaries were unveiled on Friday.

President Kenyatta, in all his speeches since he took office, has emphasised the need to fight corruption.

The misgivings expressed by the EACC effectively proved to be the downfall of some of the leading candidates for nomination to serve in the new administration.

The Nation established that Cabinet Secretaries also played a key role in picking the PSs. Some were presented with a list of three individuals by the President and asked to settle on at least two professionals whom they were comfortable working with.

“The Cabinet Secretaries were given an upper hand in choosing the individuals who are expected to deliver on the Jubilee manifesto.

These are their accounting officers and they need to be in agreement on the mandate of the ministry,” said a source privy to the negotiations that went on behind the scenes.

President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto also paid close attention to the report presented by EACC, the source said.

“President Kenyatta wants to break some established cartels and do away with those implicated in corruption.

The President is keen to ensure that all Kenyans benefit especially since he has announced that procurement rules will be amended to ensure 30 per cent of all government contracts are given to the youth.”

In his first official function after taking over office, the Head of State said he was optimistic this move would help spur job and wealth creation.

“We will build on this by developing public private partnerships that partner young men and women and local authorities in the provision of basic services such as clean water and sanitation, roads maintenance, energy and waste management,” the President said.

It has long been believed that cartels in government, working in cahoots with accounting officers who are PSs, have hindered this development in the past and the issue was a key factor when the list of those to serve as Cabinet Secretaries was being prepared.

EACC vice-chairman Irene Keino told the Sunday Nation that a number of individuals shortlisted for the principal secretaries’ jobs had been interviewed.

Ms Keino could, however, not disclose the nature of the investigations, saying she was out of office.