After almost two years (18 months) of waiting, the Building Bridges Initiative(BBI) report may not bear the best news for a select category of persons holding senior state offices.
The BBI report proposed abolishing the role of Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS).
"To ensure more effective political direction and parliamentary accountability, there shall be a position of minister of state that will be appointed from members of the National Assembly and taking direction in their ministerial duties from Cabinet ministers. This minister of state will continue to earn their salary as MP with no additional salary for their ministerial role," the report reads.
"Eliminate the post of Chief Administrative Secretary," the report adds.
If approved, 21 CASs will be out of their jobs, most notable is Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs CAS, Rachel Shebesh, Foreign Affairs and International Trade CAS Ababu Namwamba and Lands CAS Gideon Mung'aro.
In 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta created the position of CASs, and appointments to the roles were dominated by poll losers from the Jubilee Party.
“I have decided to establish a new position in government, the position of Chief Administrative Secretary in all our ministries,” Uhuru stated at the time.
This role was likened to that of an assistant minister that was in the former constitution. However, this role was not defined in the new (2010) constitution.
“The chief administrative secretary would broadly be responsible for helping the Cabinet secretary to better coordinate the running of the affairs of their respective ministries,” Uhuru noted.
