Education CS Machogu Under Fire For Favoring Kisii In Ministry Appointment

Machogu Under Fire For Favoring Kisii In Ministry Appointment

Machogu yesterday came under fire after MPs claimed his appointment in the Ministry of Education are tribal.

While appearing before the public investment committee on governance and education, the chair Wamboka wanani claimed that the Cabinet Secretary has persistently been appointment his kinsmen whenever an appointment opportunity manifests.

Wanani asked the Auditor General Nancy Gathingu to establish an audit team to ascertain the composition and establishment of the Ministry.

This matter manifested during the meeting when the MPs read a gazette notice on the appointment of key officials into universities where they made a claim that 80% of the officials appointed, were machogu’s kinsmen.

This follows the recent appointments where the CS appointed Angelia Obaga , Peter Gathirwa and Tabitha Nyandie as council members of Kabianga University.

Other appointments that were termed tribal include that of South Easter University where the CS Appointed John Ondari and Fancy Kemei as council members and Ben Momanyi as council member at Kirinyaga University.

Similar iterations were witnessed at Multimedia University where Angelica Obaga was appointed council member and Lawrence Okelo and Vincent Moset were appointed as commission members of University Education.

The PIC chair Wamboka reiterated that they were aware that the CS further made appointments at Kaimosi Friends University which favored his cronies leaving out qualified and deserving individuals.

Check this out: TSC Report Reveals Half of Teaching Jobs Held by 3 tribes

Kisii Appointment

“It is not a coincidence that the Minister of Education is a Kisii and goes ahead to make half of his appointments from Kisii. A cabinet minister who is a Kisii only appointing Kisiis is very wrong. This is a concern running through your ministry and other departments. With this regard we are directing the auditor general to carry out a special audit of ethnic composition at the ministry of education.” Wamboka said.

“The names that have been read out six out of eight appointees are Kisiis. It actually embarrasses you for this. This is actually a moral issue.” Wamboka further added.

Rebecca Tonkei who is the Narok Women representative sought to know whether it was in order for the 80% of the appointments in the gazette notice were only from the CS’s tribe.

In his defence, the Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu refuted the claims and asked the committee to probe the entire appointment instead of only pinpointing on a single gazette notice.

“I have not appointed 80 percent of my community members. In Kaimosi university I have not appointed my cronies as is being alleged.” Machogu responded.

VC Appointment

Machogu took the opportunity to clarify that in the last one year, they have appointed 14 Vice Chancellors

The Universities where the appointments have done include; Alupe, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Machakos University, Technical University of Kenya, Tharaka University, Pwani University, Karatina University, Kisii University, South Eastern Kenya University, University of Eldoret. Others are Jaramogi University of Science and Technology, Kabianga University, Tom Mboya University and Maasai Mara university.

Machogu expressed concern that the Public service commission was delaying the conclusion of appointment of Vice Chancellors and Deputy vice Chancellors.

Machogu clarified that the PSC concluded the recruitment of Kaimosi Friends University VC, but the reiterated that due to the matter that is in court, the appointment can not be made since court granted orders stopping the appointment pending hearing and determination of the case.

Machogu further stated that there are two Deputy Vice Chancellors at Kaimosi in acting capacity whose recruitment and appointment is still pending.

“In order to address the delays occasioned by the involvement of the Public Service Commission, we have drafted legislative proposals to vets the mandate of appointing vice chancellors and deputy vice chancellors in the respective university council in consultation with the cabinet secretary. The Public Service Commission will not be involved as is the case with all other state corporations.” Machogu said.

During the meeting, the committee sought to involve Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Ethic and Anti-corruption Commission who will probe cases of individuals in the Ministry who colluded with private universities to increase the numbers beyond their capacities and at the same time send double allocations to private universities.

This matter came to the floor of the committee when the CS said they can not account for about Sh. 24 Million that was sent as Capitation to private universities.

Machogu Under Fire For Favoring Kisii In Ministry Appointment