Joho suffers fresh setback in his bid to become Mining CS

The nomination of former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho has met resistance from Haki Yetu, a coast-based human rights organisation specialising in governance, land rights, and the constitutionalism of governance processes.

President William Ruto nominated Joho as Cabinet Secretary for Mining and Blue Economy in his second 10-member batch of Cabinet nominees.

Through its Programme Officer for Land, Munira Ali Omar, in an affidavit, the organisation accused the former governor of failing to adhere to the standards and principles set forth in Chapter Six of the Constitution.

"In his tenure, we witnessed an increase in youth gangs, drug menaces, and high insecurity in Mombasa," said Munira.

In a series of explanations on how under Joho's tenure as governor there was massive mismanagement of public funds, the organisation claimed that Joho's elevation to the cabinet would fail to accrue any tangible benefit to Kenyans.

For instance, they reported that the Mombasa County Stadium renovation cost about Sh50 million in 2016. They set aside Ksh 61.02 million for further facility improvement later in the financial year 2017/2018. The financial year 2018–2019 budgeted Ksh 1 billion for the construction of the same stadium and an additional Ksh10 million for its completion.

"Despite over 1.12 billion, the Mombasa residents are yet to see the stadium built to its completion," said Munira.

The organisation raises audit queries that implicate the former governor in the misappropriation of public funds.

They also rely on the reports from their commissioned research and audits on a variety of topics, including housing and land, in which Joho is involved.

Haki Yetu Lands Programme Officer Munira Ali with Kiambu Senator Karungo Thangwa at the Senate. (Photo by Haki Yetu)

"The Mombasa Affordable Housing Programme is a public shame and one that will long be associated with Joho's nine years in office as the city's first governor. Haki Yetu's 2022 research titled 'Housing for Who: A Look at the Place of the Urban Poor?' brought findings of the mistakes and irregularities of Mombasa's Affordable Housing Programme under Joho's nine-year leadership," wrote Munira.

Joho is among the other names facing objection in President William Ruto's bid to include them in his cabinet.

Parliament has received at least four petitions calling for the disqualification of Cabinet nominee Ali Hassan Joho due to his lack of appropriate academic credentials.

In one petition, lawyer Charles Okari has requested information regarding the academic qualifications of Joho, the nominee for Cabinet Secretary of Mining and Blue Economy.

Citing Article 35(1)(a) of the Constitution and Section 7(c) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act 2011, in his letter to National Assembly Clerk Samuel Njoroge, lawyer Okari writes that "we hereby seek that you provide the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Certificate belonging to Hon Hassan Ali Joho or recognised equivalent to you and any other academic qualification presented to yourselves regarding the nominee.".

The vetting of Ruto's 20 nominees started yesterday and runs until Sunday, after which the Committee on Appointments will table a report before the House for consideration.

In another memorandum to the Committee on Appointments, a human rights body is seeking to have Joho declared ineligible for the position of CS owing to his past record.

In 2010, then-US ambassador Michael Ranneberger announced travel sanctions on Kenyan politicians suspected of drug trafficking, including former MPs Harun Mwau, Gideon Mbuvi, Hassan Joho, and William Kabogo. A US drug probe revealed the four as targets.

The Kenyan government also confirmed receiving the names from the US embassy after the late Internal Security Minister George Saitoti tabled the list in Parliament.

The People's Movement for Human Rights, through its director Karanja Murai, says he is contesting the nomination of Joho as CS based on this information.

"The dossier tabled by Saitoti stated that Kenya's Anti-Narcotics Unit suspected Hon. Joho was involved in the narcotics trade. According to the report, Joho was linked to drug trafficking," Murai writes.

He urges the Appointments Committee to consider the report on vetting Joho, claiming the nominee has a tainted past and does not stand by the principles of the Leadership and Integrity Act.

Members of the Haki Yetu Organisation, led by Munira Ali (centre), participate in a protest in Mombasa in the past. (Photo by Haki Yetu)