MPs unanimously oppose the National Security Advisor being member of National Security Advisory Committee
Mzalendo Trust opposes additional members to the National Security Advisory Committee and Assumptions of the Office of the President as raises the wage bill
KDF seeks inclusion of Coast Guard Director in the National Security Advisory Committee and Presidential Transition Committee
The Joint Committees on Justice and Legal Affairs and; Administration and Internal Security has raised serious concerns on four statutes originating from Government aimed at stripping off some powers of Attorney General Justin Muturi to Head of Public Service Felix Koskei
In an inquisitive nature, MPs led by Co-Chairs George Murugara[Tharaka MP] and Gabriel Tongoyo[Narok West] put Interior and National Administration Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo on task to explain what wrong has the office of Attorney General done to warrant stripping off his duties which has been traditionally domiciled since independence
The National Government Administration Laws Amendment Bill (National Assembly Bill No. 73 of 2023) seeks on changing of custody of the public seal from the Attorney General to the Head of Public Service which has brought forth members of parliament to consolidate views from stakeholder’s public participation
“What wrong has the office of Attorney General done to remove his powers to Head of Public Service. Wouldn’t this undermine the independence of the institution of AG as a chief legal advisor to the Government?
I have not read anywhere the Head of Public Service as an institution to keep institutional memory of advising the President on what’s good and bad for the country! Legislature don’t legislate for the current President! Murugara and Tongoyo asked PS Dr Raymond Omollo.
On the Assumption of the office of President Act 2012 about the formation of transitional committee seeking to include Principal Secretary for interior and remove the PS for immigration, Omollo supported the proposal stating internal security matters a lot during the transitional period of the incoming President.
However, legislators had varied views stating that foreigner’s security attending the President-Elect inauguration outweighs internal matters and that is responsibility by Principal Secretary in charge of Immigration
“We support the inclusion of the National Security Advisor and PS for Defence to the Assumption of Office of President Committee.
We also support the inclusion of the CS Security and CS for Defence as well as their PSs to be members of the assumption committee but not PS for immigration,” Omollo stated
MPs sought to know why the government which has sponsored the bill didn’t include village elders in the Assumption Committee of the office of President in order to anchor the spirit of bottom up economic model instead of starting from top Secretary to Cabibet
Other issues emerged are what role would the inclusion of Presidential Advisor to the Assumption Committee play to the President incoming bearing in mind his boss is outgoing
“What security capacity has the National Security Advisor who is a partisan employee bring in to the National Security Council because all other members are holding security institutions? Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse asked
Others who appeared to table their views are Chief of Defence Forces [read representative] who largely concurred with all amendments.
The Salaries and Remuneration Commission [Representatives] said the bill does not affect them in anyway thereby supported it’s full enactment
However, Mzalendo Trust opposed the creation of additional members to the National Security Advisory Committee and Assumptions of the Office of the President Elect