The Parliamentary Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) chair, George Muragara on Tuesday, March 19, elaborated that Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) would not be allowed to report to parliament.
According to Muragara, the CASs are not state officers like their bosses, the Cabinet Secretaries as their office was created by parliament and not the Public Service Commission.
“They are not state officers since you can not create a state office unless you amend the constitution,” stated Muragara.
Therefore, the mandate of reporting to the Parliament in case of any summons will only be effected by the CS and can not be delegated to the CAS.
According to the JLAC chair, it is the CS’s responsibility under the constitution to report to Parliament and they will not be allowed to designate that duty to the CAS.
Muragara also explained that the CAS will be third in the hierarchy of the ministries, with the second in command being the Principal Secretary right after the top boss the Cabinet Secretary
More details on the role of the CAS explain that the CAS will act as a relief to the CS and will be mandated to conduct duties assigned to them by the CS.
The CAS position through which President Ruto had appointed more than 50 CASs, had been blocked by the court, with the move being considered unconstitutional.
However, parliament gave the President a nod to appoint the CASs without a number limit, which they had previously capped at 22 to rhyme with the number of ministries in Kenya.
Additionally, Dagorretti North, Member of Parliament Beatrice Elachi also reinforced the narrative stating that having more than 22 CASs was likely to blur the mandate issued to each.
Elachi, being a CAS within the previous regime noted that during that period it was easier for them to conduct their duties as they each worked with one Cabinet Secretary.
However, despite the Parliament okaying the positions, the president is yet to act on it by appointing people to the position.
