Motion to limit size of Cabinet passed

By Ben AginaParliament has passed a Motion that seeks to reduce the number of ministerial positions.

Through a private member’s Motion, Parliament allowed Turkana Central MP Ekwe Ethuro (PNU) to introduce a Bill to create offices of Ministers of the Government of Kenya.

The Bill will spell out requirements for appointment and other related matters.

Moving the Motion, Ethuro said since the inception of the Republic of Kenya, Parliament had not established such offices for ministers, resulting in the arbitrary and uncontrolled establishment of excessive ministries.

However, Ethuro noted that although he would be bringing a Bill to enforce section 16(1) of the Constitution that gives Parliament the powers to create offices of the Ministers of the Government of Kenya, he does not envisage the current Cabinet of 42 ministers to be reduced.

“This Bill will not be applicable in the current arrangement. We are just trying to follow our obligations as provided for under the current Constitution,” said Ethuro.

He said if Parliament had created such ministries, there would be no haggling at the number of ministries the government should have.

He said negotiations on the number of ministries, as witnessed during the formation of the Grand Coalition Government, would not have been necessary if Parliament has set the requisite number.

He wondered why Kenya could not emulate countries like Uganda that have legislated the number of ministries the government should have.

Uganda legislated 21 ministries; UK has 22, while Nigeria — whose population is much higher than Kenya — has only 19 ministries.

Parliament to blame

 

But responding on behalf of the Government, the Assistant minister for Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs, Mr William Cheptumo, blamed Parliament for failing to enforce the constitutional provision.

“Parliament has continued to breach the law either by omission and commission,” said Cheptumo.

Dismissing an assertion by Kisumu Town West MP Olago Aluoch (ODM) that the Government as currently constituted was illegal, Cheptumo said the President acted within the law.

“The Government is legally in place. It is a Parliament that has failed to do its work,” said Cheptumo.

He added: It has taken 45 years since independence for Mr Ethuro’s eye to open. This law has been with us.”

The Assistant minister told the House that the Grand Coalition Government was committed to ensuring Kenyans get a new Constitution within the next 12 months.

Noting that the timing of the Motion was good, Cheptumo said the proposals Ethuro had made should form part of the envisaged amendments to the Constitution.

“The timing for this Motion is good, but let us not make piecemeal amendments,” said Cheptumo.

Seconding the motion, the Kisumu Town West MP, Mr Olago Aluoch, said successive governments had abdicated their role of limiting the number of ministerial positions.

The member said since independence, the Cabinet size had increased.

In 1963, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, had a 20 member Cabinet, it grew to 23 in 1969, 23 in 1975, 28 in 1980, 24 in 1994, 34 in 1989, 25 in 1993, 28 in 1998, 27 in 2002 and now 42 in 2008.

Olago said over this period Parliament failed to rise to the occasion by failing to stamp its authority.

Supporting the motion, Assistant minister for Medical Services Danson Mungatana, said it was possible to reduce the size of the Cabinet.

He suggested that Kenyans must be consulted on the number of ministries they should have.

Assistant Minister for Defence Maj-Gen (Rtd) Joseph Nkaissery said Parliament had failed from the onset in setting a threshold for the number of ministries.

Nkaissery said people who had been mentioned in past corruption cases found themselves back in Cabinet.

“When I was in Form Three, some of these people were PSs. They are still in Government,” said Nkaissery.

Mandera Central MP, Mr Abdikadir Hassan, reminded members that Kenya was a Republic and not a monarch.

Abdikadir blamed the whole confusion in setting up the number of ministries to an executive that was acting as a monarchy.

Assistant Minister for East African Community, Mr Peter Munya, said political considerations override appointments to Cabinet positions.

“Appointment to Cabinet has become euphoric. We need performers in Cabinet not political considerations,” he said.

Eldoret East MP Prof Margaret Kamar said there was need to change the way Cabinet is appointed.

“It is unfortunate to see a Cabinet minister read a speech in an international forum but cannot interpret the speech when it comes to discussion,” she said.

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API, source.standard.ke