MPs recalled for special sitting to consider Ruto's cabinet nominees

The National Assembly will reconvene for a special sitting on Thursday, January 16, 2025, to address urgent national matters, following a notice from Speaker Moses Wetang'ula.

The session comes after a request from Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah and his minority counterpart, Junet Mohamed.

Among the main issues to be discussed is the vetting of President William Ruto's nominees for Cabinet Secretaries, who were recently reshuffled.

The three nominees—former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo (ICT), former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui (Trade and Investment), and former Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture) will appear before the Committee on Appointments for confirmation.

The committee is expected to table a report on their vetting during the sitting.

In addition to the vetting of cabinet nominees, several other reports will be presented, including a review of diplomatic appointees.

Vetting of diplomats

The Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations will table its report on the vetting of High Commissioners, Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives, and Consul-Generals.

Notably, former ICT Cabinet Secretary Margaret Nyambura Ndung'u has been nominated as Kenya's High Commissioner to Ghana, and Mutahi Kagwe's predecessor, former Agriculture CS, will be vetted as Ambassador to Brazil.

Additionally, MPs will discuss the nomination of Ababu Namwamba as Kenya's Permanent Representative to the UNEP office in Nairobi and Noor Gabow as Consul-General to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

The Departmental Committee on Labour is also set to present a report on the vetting of Mary Kimonye for the position of vice chairperson of the Public Service Commission, as well as other nominees for PSC positions.

During the sitting, MPs will also deliberate on other important legislative matters, including the County Governments Additional Allocations Bill (Senate Bill No. 19 of 2024), which is expected to undergo mediation.

The Startup Bill (Senate Bill No. 14 of 2022) and the Persons with Disabilities Bill (Senate Bill No. 7 of 2023) will also be discussed.

In his notice on Wednesday, Speaker Wetang'ula highlighted that the sitting will provide an opportunity to address any urgent messages from the Executive or the Senate.

He confirmed that the MPs will hold sittings both in the morning and afternoon to consider all the reports and priority bills.

President Ruto's reshuffle, which took place on December 19, 2024, saw changes in several key positions, including the reappointment of Kipchumba Murkomen as Interior Cabinet Secretary after Kithure Kindiki was elevated to the Deputy President position.

Murkomen's departure from the Ministry of Sports left a gap now filled by Salim Mvurya, who has been appointed the new Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports.