Economy

Uhuru Kenyatta picks parastatal taskforce

Abdi

Mr Abdikadir Mohamed — who as chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review for the Tenth Parliament helped to shepherd the Constitution 2010 to fruition — will head the taskforce appointed to overhaul policies and laws governing State corporations. Photo/FILE

President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed a taskforce to overhaul policies and laws governing State corporations.

The move is aimed at reflecting legal and administrative changes that have taken place after the March 4 elections.

The team drawn from the public and private sectors has up to September 16 to review parastatal policies, identify challenges and propose a new policy direction for parastatals, State House said in a statement.

Key in its mandate is to audit qualification and capabilities of people at the boards and senior management levels, signalling an end to a tradition that has seen State corporations used to accommodate politically connected individuals.

“President Kenyatta expects that the taskforce will have a transformational impact in infusing efficiency and innovation in the operations of parastatals,” said the statement.

Mr Abdikadir Mohamed — who as chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Constitutional Review for the Tenth Parliament helped to shepherd the Constitution 2010 to fruition — will head the team. Mr Mohamed is currently an executive at the President’s office.

The other members are Treasury principal secretary Kamau Thugge, Vision 2030 director-general Mugo Kibati and Korir Sing’oei from the Deputy President’s Office.

Former Capital Markets Authority CEO Stella Kilonzo tops the list of private sector representatives in the taskforce that also includes businesswoman Anjali Mediratta and Commercial Bank of Africa Group CEO Isaac Awuondo.

The CEO of CIC Insurance, Nelson Kuria, Kenya Private Sector Alliance CEO Carole Kariuki and proprietor of Burbidge Capital Ltd Edward Burbidge will also sit in the team as representatives of the private sector.