Members of Parliament (MPs) have been recalled from recess to hold special sittings on January 16, 2025, to deliberate on key appointments made by President William Ruto. The special sittings will take place in both the morning and afternoon, with a packed agenda that includes the vetting of newly nominated Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) and other government officials.
The CS nominees, including Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture), Lee Kinyanjui (Trade), and William Kabogo (ICT), will appear before the Committee on Appointments for scrutiny. Their nominations, announced in a press release dated December 19, 2024, are set for review on January 16, with the MPs also considering other high-profile nominations. Former ICT CS Margaret Nyambura and ex-Agriculture CS are among those nominated as ambassadors to Ghana and Brazil, respectively, while former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba has been tapped as Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UNEP/UNON. Additionally, Noor Gabow has been nominated as Consul-General to Haiti. The vetting of these nominees is scheduled for January 10.
Another key item on the agenda is the report from the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations, which will be tabled for debate. The report will address the vetting of various diplomatic appointments, including High Commissioners and Ambassadors.
On January 9, MPs will also vet Mary Kimonye for the position of Vice Chairperson of the Public Service Commission, alongside seven other nominees. Furthermore, the National Assembly is expected to consider the appointments to the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) as well as bills such as the Startup Bill (Senate Bill No. 14 of 2022) and the Persons with Disabilities Bill (Senate Bill No. 7 of 2023).
The sittings are crucial as they will pave the way for the smooth functioning of key government departments, with the National Assembly’s Leader of Majority, Kimani Ichung’wah, requesting the recall to ensure timely approval of these appointments. The outcome of these sittings could have significant implications for the President’s administration in the coming months.
