Uhuru's TSC nominees to face full plenary next week

The fate of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s nominees to the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) will be decided next week after Parliament resolved to escalate the debate on its committee’s report to the full plenary.

Parliamentary Education and Research Committee had resolved to reject the nomination of Mbage Njuguna and Leila Ali, citing a lack of experience.

Leader of Majority Aden Duale, while rejecting the report on Wednesday, tabled a Motion before the House seeking to approve the nomination of Mr Ng’ang’a and Ms Ali to the TSC in what is set to test President Kenyatta’s clout in Parliament.

MPs will debate the Motion and vote next Wednesday whether to approve the two nominees as TSC members.

The House team chaired by Julius Melly rejected the two nominees on grounds that lacked minimum experience in the education sector and did not demonstrate an understanding of teachers’ welfare.

“I am in a very precarious position today as Leader of Majority, I have never intended to oppose the report of a committee but today I oppose the report by the Education and Research Committee,” said Mr Duale.

“The procedure for appointment of members to the teachers’ commission is outlined in the Constitution, TSC Act and the Public Appointments Act … this committee had no other business to go and fish out something outside this and the observations of the committee are contradicting the Constitution.”