Dagoretti North Member of Parliament Beatrice Elachi has defended the move by President William Ruto's administration to restore the Chief Administrative Secretaries positions that were initially declared unconstitutional by the High Court.
While speaking at a local media house, the MP noted that the CAS positions play a vital role in deputising the Cabinet Secretaries.
Elachi also highlighted that the CASs would assist the economy of the country by paying taxes and essentially creating job opportunities for other people.
"In fairness of the country and of delivery of service and ensuring ministries can function in the right way. You need a deputy. If you have a good CS, definitely they will need a deputy who will follow through on other issues in the ministry," she explained.
"In other instances, some ministries have three PSs and you are alone to manage them. If you have a deputy, they can handle those tasks."
"Then again, if they get salaries they will pay taxes. We're creating more base of tax to go back to the government because they are also employing other people. So for me, it is a non-issue of whether we have money or not. I am thinking that yes we have a crisis but we cannot keep on lamenting."
Elachi urged the National Treasury to strategise on ways of pulling the country out of the economic crisis, noting that they needed religious intervention to solve the matter.
"To my leaders in Treasury, sometimes wake up in the morning and pray together," she added.
The MP, who served as CAS in former President Uhuru Kenyatta's administration, however, did not explain the effect of the CAS positions on the already bloating wage bill.
Kenyans will part with nearly Ksh460 million annually to keep Ruto's nearly 50 CASs in office, as each of them is entitled to earn up to Ksh874,500. Despite serving as assistants to the Principal Secretaries, both the CASs and PSs earn almost the same gross salary monthly.
Elachi is a staunch Azimio Member of Parliament, elected on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket. Her stance is contrary to her coalition, which supported the High Court's decision to declare the positions as unconstitutional.
The Azimio coalition protested against the 50 CASs, warning that the positions would increase the wage bill.
Meanwhile, National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah proposed amendments to the National Government Coordination Act 2013 seeking to entrench the CAS positions into law through an Act of Parliament.
Through the National Government Administrative Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, Ichung'wah also introduced changes to the appointing process, with the Public Service Commission (PSC) determining the number of candidates suitable for the job.
