After the court gave President William Ruto the green light to appoint Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs), a list of 21 appointees has emerged, with too familiar names.
However, the process of shortlisting the candidates was halted after the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) moved to court to challenge the appointments citing a bloated public service.
The move by the LSK was after the Public Service Commission (PSC) on October 12 2022, invited CAS applications from suitable candidates.
“Contrary to the public speculation, the Commission has not cancelled the advert for the recruitment of Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS),” read part of the statement by PSC boss Simon Rotich.
PSC had called for public views as President William Ruto sought to regularise the position as was in his predecessor's regime.
The process of shortlisting and interviewing the candidates was thus put to a stop awaiting the court's pronouncement on the same.
“There is nothing that we can do for now, we have to wait for the matter to be concluded in court before we can proceed,” PSC boss Antony Muchiri stated.
In the purported list, former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala had been named as CAS Interior & National Administration.
Former Soy MP Caleb Kositany for Lands & Housing while former Kirinyaga Women Representative Purity Ngirici had been picked for CAS Tourism & Wildlife Heritage.
Other familiar names on the list are Okoth Obado for Defence, Millicent Omanga for Health, and former Mumias East Legislator Benjamin Washiali for Agriculture and Livestock.
While the PSC had received the applications for the various positions, the commission was yet to shortlist the candidates and schedule their interviews.
However, it is not clear whether Ruto’s administration will have only 22 CAS or he will emulate his predecessor and have 37.
The creation of CAS by President Ruto is seen as a scheme aimed at rewarding some of his allies who played instrumental roles in his victory and are yet to land any plum position.
With the PSC grading CAS at CSG 3 which is equivalent to job group V, this means that they will earn Ksh765,188 in gross monthly salary and if they will be 22, they will fork out Ksh1 billion in the next five years.
