Reinstating of The CASs Position By The Government, A Burden to Common Mwananchi says political Activists in Trans Nzoia County
President William Ruto, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Minister Musalia Mudavadi take a group photo with the newly sworn-in Chief Administrative Secretaries at State House, Nairobi on March 23, 2023. PHOTO | PCS
By Sefu Sabila
Worth Noting:
- Margaret Nafula a seasoned political activist from Trans Nzoia County says it is unfair for the country leadership to form and force positions in the government to reward political loyalists, who lost their elective positions.
- “It is so unfortunate that the government instead of delivering to common mwananchi on the promises they made are busy rewarding their friends at the current sad state of Kenyans by filling in positions against the law.” Ms. Nafula angrily lamented.
- She further added that the huge burden will lie on Kenyans to cater for the salaries for the 50 CASs. Speaking during an interview with Mt. Kenya Times in Kitale town, Ms. Nafula said the people are already struggling with the high cost of living and taxation.
National Assembly majority leader and Kikuyu Member of Parliament Kimani Ichungwa tabled a bill on the National Government Administration Laws (Amendment), which seeks to make amends to four Acts that will see reinstating of Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs) position for the first reading on Wednesday.
According to the bill, A CAS will respond to issues relating to their portfolio, liaise with Parliament and county governments, provide inter-ministerial and sectoral coordination, represent the Cabinet Secretary as directed and perform any other duties assigned by the Attorney General or Cabinet Secretary.
However, in July this year, the High Court had dismissed the positions of the 50 CASs appointed and already sworn in by Ruto as unconstitutional. Among the reasons to it’s nullification by the court was lack of public participation.
Margaret Nafula a seasoned political activist from Trans Nzoia County says it is unfair for the country leadership to form and force positions in the government to reward political loyalists, who lost their elective positions.
“It is so unfortunate that the government instead of delivering to common mwananchi on the promises they made are busy rewarding their friends at the current sad state of Kenyans by filling in positions against the law.” Ms. Nafula angrily lamented.
She further added that the huge burden will lie on Kenyans to cater for the salaries for the 50 CASs. Speaking during an interview with Mt. Kenya Times in Kitale town, Ms. Nafula said the people are already struggling with the high cost of living and taxation.
“I proudly voted for this government since they had shown interest on the plights of common mwananchi. Creating of positions is topping to the suffering of mwananchi already coming to terms with the numerous taxations and the challenging economic times that has affected many Kenyans. Does it mean another new tax to be able to pay these people is staring at the nation?” She further questioned.
“Yesterday the CS for national treasury Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u said the government is unable to pay salaries for civil servants and other government functions. The government is struggling to strike a balance. Why should then someone introduce other unnecessary positions that are directly to be paid from mwananchi’s tax, when the same duty is being performed by the people already in place? This is a struggle for many Kenyans, the proposer of the bill and our MPs should reconsider their people and stop pleasing their masters. It is very sad that day by day, the Miseries of common mwananchi is piling and the government is giving us a cold shoulder.” Mr. Rufas Maina added.
The CS had on Wednesday appeared before the national assembly finance committee, and notes that the government is broke, however, it is working and will ensure disbursement of funds for continuity of government services.
Former CAS and current Dagorretti North lawmaker Beatrice Elachi has however, defended the appointment of the CASs by the government. Speaking during a morning show with a local TV station, Elachi said that the CASs will help reduce workload for cabinet secretaries and also pay taxes to the government.
“I have said in fairness of the country, and delivery of service and ensuring those ministries can function in the right way you need a deputy to have a clear role. Look at our Environment CS, she will need a deputy because in most meetings she is out of the country. She has to go because she is supposed to give our stand as Kenya and what we want to see on issues of climate change and so you need a deputy who will follow through on other issues within the ministry. Even if they get salaries they will pay taxes we are creating a larger tax base. It is a non-issue of money. This tongue of saying we don’t have money is not the right one. We cannot keep lamenting since it is not the first time.” Dagorretti North lawmaker Beatrice Elachi said.
The remarks were however dismissed by Embakasi East Lawmaker Babu Owino, who said the budget for paying CASs should instead be used to employ youths across the country.
“Instead of employing 50 CASs at 50 million Kshs per month, we can employ 5,000 youths across the country at 10,000 Ksh. The budget of the office of the CAS is going to be 1 billion per year as per the projections made during the last time they were going to be appointed. In a month that is 4.16 billion shillings, assuming that one youth is going to be paid 10,000 shillings just to afford a basic need. If you divide the amount quoted by the 10,000 shillings you will get 416,600 youths across the nation that can be employed,” Babu said.
The embattled position was introduced by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in 2018, with the court also declaring the 26 CASs unconstitutional. The current government seeks to double the number to 50.
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