Cabinet vetting gives Parliament a rare opportunity to redeem itself after a shameful public coup

By Isaac Wanjekeche.

As the national assembly awaits the vetting of new cabinet named by President William Ruto, the embattled house has a rare opportunity of redemption after the botched finance bill that has left a near non redeemable dent of shame on its front face .

The National Assembly stands at a critical juncture, holding a sacred opportunity to redeem itself in the eyes of the public watch.

Following the contentious Finance Bill 2024 debacle, the impending vetting of President Ruto’s 11 person cabinet presents a chance for the assembly to restore faith in its legislative processes and reaffirm its commitment to the nation’s welfare.

The Finance Bill, marred by widespread public discontent and criticism, exposed significant flaws in the legislative process. Allegations of insufficient consultation, lack of transparency, and rushed decision-making have tarnished the assembly’s reputation.
The backlash from various stakeholders, including civil society, business communities, and ordinary citizens, underscores the urgent need for the assembly to demonstrate accountability and responsiveness in its future engagement.
The parliament must come out of political party cocoons and brave the assignment ahead of them with boldness and precision.

The vetting process for President Ruto’s cabinet nominees must be thorough, transparent, and devoid of partisan biases. Each nominee’s qualifications, track record, and ethical standards should be meticulously scrutinized to ensure they are fit to serve the nation.

Aware of the problems that drowned the hallowed house into a sea of shame by the youthful generation – the need to incorporate public into the vetting must be given urgent priority to enhance transparency and build public trust.

Allowing citizens to voice their opinions, petitions and raise concerns about the nominees will demonstrate the assembly’s commitment to inclusivity and accountability.The assembly must rise above political affiliations and work collaboratively to assess the nominees. The house should assume a bipartisan cooperation that would strengthen the vetting process but also signal a unified commitment to national interests over partisan agendas.

While embarking on this new assignment, the ‘honourable ‘ house as used to be referred to , must acknowledge shortcomings of the Finance Bill process and learn from those mistakes

The parliament should implement measures to prevent future legislative blunders, such as ensuring adequate consultation periods and fostering open dialogues with all stakeholders.
The MPs should be wary of the silent public right on their backs that threatened them to safe evacuation into the tunnels..

Those who will have an opportunity to vet the cabinet must remember the clean as Potifers wife rule on integrity as encapsulated in chapter six.

Life and time seem to have offered them a rare and significant opportunity to redeem itself during the cabinet vetting process by conducting a transparent, inclusive, and ethical vetting process, the assembly can rebuild public trust, demonstrate its commitment to good governance, and set a positive precedent for future legislative actions.

This moment is not just about approving a new cabinet but about restoring the credibility and integrity of Kenya’s legislative body..

And just like the president took a controversial position to sacrifice the parliament with the finance bill that was miscarried at state house, an opportunity for the legislature to return the patient in the delivery room is here again.