Vetting committee deadlocked over Kandie, Chirchir
Ms Phyllis Kandie and Mr Davis Chirchir. FILE
The Committee on Appointments that vetted the 16 cabinet nominees is deadlocked on whether or not to approve the nomination of Ms Phylis Jepkosgey Kandie to head the expanded Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism.
The committee which is locked in discussions at the Windsor Golf and Country Club in Kiambu was also divided over the approval of Mr Davis Chirchir to be appointed to the cabinet as secretary for Energy and Petroleum.
Sources told Business Daily that the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord) opposed Chirchir candidature and will be filling a dissenting report to the Parliament for debate.
The Jubilee coalition, which has the numbers in the House, supported the nomination of Mr Chirchir who previously worked as a commissioner with the defunct Interim Independent Electoral Commission.
The committee chaired by House Speaker Justin Muturi questioned the competencies of Ms Kandie to handle the EAC, Commerce and Tourism portfolio saying the nominee did not sound convincing for the job during the interview.
“There is a general feeling across the political divide that Ms Kandie is not competent enough to handle the crucial docket. There is agreement that she should not be cleared,” said a source privy to the closed door meeting.
“She has no integrity issues at all but she showed no ability during the interview to handle the docket,” the source added.
The informant expressed fears that the intense lobbying and pressure being exerted to members to reverse their decision on Kandie could see her cleared in the report that will be tabled at 2.30pm on Tuesday by the Leader of Majority Party Aden Duale.
“Members are being lobbied to drop their earlier stance and clear Kandie but some of us will stand our ground,” said a member who wished to be quoted.
The Cord coalition is uncomfortable with Mr Chirchir accusing him of aiding Jubilee to win the March 4 General elections, a charge that Mr Chirchir vehemently opposed during the interview over the weekend.
Cord accuses Chirchir of doing business with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and having held passwords to the commissions IT systems when he served as a commissioner to the defunct Interim Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IIEC).
