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"id": 1402795,
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"content": "Report before the House details proceedings during the approval hearings of the 27 persons that are nominated for appointment to the offices of High Commissioners, Ambassadors, Permanent Representatives and Consuls-General. The purpose of the vetting was to ascertain their suitability to discharge responsibility of the offices they have been nominated to serve in. Hon. Speaker, pursuant to Article 132 (2) (e) of the Constitution, as read together with Section 3 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, which I referred to earlier, you made a Communication dated 21st March 2024, pursuant to Standing Order 42 (1). It conveyed to Members of the National Assembly the Message from His Excellency the President. You subsequently referred the names of the nominees and their curriculum vitae to the Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations for approval hearing. While referring to the matter, you directed that the Committee should undertake the vetting exercise and report to the House on or before Tuesday, 16th April 2024. In compliance with Article 118 of the Constitution, Section 6(4)(ix) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act Cap 7, the Clerk of the National Assembly placed an advertisement on print media on Saturday, 23rd March 2024, informing the public of the nominees, the dates, time and place of the approval hearing. He also invited the public to submit memoranda by way of written statements on oath or other affidavit on the suitability of the nominees. The memoranda were to be received on or before Tuesday, 2nd April 2024. Further, the Clerk of the National Assembly wrote to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), and the Office of Registrar of Political Parties seeking information on the nominees relating to their ethics and integrity, tax compliance, criminal record, HELB payment and political party affiliations. All responses were favourable except that the EACC stated that it had received adverse reports against Mr. David Kiplangat Kerich, Ekitela Erastus Lokaale and Hon. Joash Arthur Maangi. On Mr. David Kiplangat Kerich, the Ambassador nominee to Washington DC, USA, the EACC stated that the nominee was adversely mentioned in a matter under investigation. It involves recruitment irregularities at the Baringo County Assembly Service Board. On Mr Ekitale Erastus Lokaale, the Permanent Representative nominee to New York, the EACC noted that the nominee was adversely mentioned in a matter under investigation. The matter involves alleged embezzlement of car and mortgage funds at the Turkana County Assembly. On Hon. Joash Arthur Maangi, the High Commissioner nominee to Kampala, Uganda, the EACC cited a recommendation to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge the nominee and other persons regarding a matter relating to the National Housing Project. However, the DPP returned the file to the EACC for further investigation. The Committee observed that the three nominees were still under investigation by the EACC. They had not been charged and convicted by any court of law. Article 50 (2) (a) of the Constitution provides that every accused person has a right to be presumed innocent until the contrary is proved. Therefore, it would have been premature for the Committee to adjudge the nominees guilty of undisclosed offences when the due process had not been carried out. Hon. Vincent Kemosi Mogaka, the High Commissioner nominee to Accra, Ghana, notified the Clerk of the National Assembly of his withdrawal from the approval proceedings, pursuant to Section 6 (10) of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act Cap 7(f). Hon. Speaker, the remaining 26 nominees appeared before the Committee from Thursday 4th to Thursday 11th April 2024. The Committee examined their suitability based on the criteria set out in Sections 6 (7) and (8), and Section 7 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, Cap 7. The Committee focused on their academic credentials, professional training, experience, personal integrity and background, the procedure used in their nomination, The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor"
}