Parliament opens probe on Gachagua’s role in Foreign Affairs Ministry
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Parliament seeks an explanation on the decision to include DP Gachagua in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Parliament seeks an explanation on the decision to include DP Gachagua in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s position in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was the subject of a petition from Migori Senator Eddy Oketch to the National Assembly Committee on National Security, Defence, and Foreign Relations on Tuesday, March 21.
Oketch challenged the committee to detail how the decision to include Gachagua in the Ministry ( led by Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua) was made.
“The Committee should state the specific cross-cutting issues the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs is referring to in its directive to a diplomatic mission to liaise with the Deputy President’s office,” Oketch demanded.
On March 2, Gachagua was given the responsibility of controlling direct interactions between government Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and international organizations and missions (MDAs).
The senator, however, continued to inquire as to whether Rigathi’s office would receive more cash for the new positions.
He also questioned how any conflicts of interest that might arise from including the DP in meetings would be handled.
“The committee should state whether diplomatic missions will be required to report back to the Ministry on the outcome of these meetings with the Deputy President’s office,” the senator added.
Furthermore, he sought to know the Ministry’s role in facilitating communication between the diplomatic missions and the DP’s office.
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Conclusively, he urged the committee to request measures put in place by the Ministry that will guarantee that the involvement of Gachagua will not impede the independence, autonomy, integrity, and impartiality of diplomatic missions in their work on cross-cutting issues.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs CS on March 2 said that the move to involve the DP was to improve efficiency in handling business in the country.
“Kenya has been losing a lot of opportunities due to unnecessary bureaucracy. We have many pending MOUs that could have been completed earlier but traditional bureaucracy has kept them at bay,” the CS lamented.
“Requests of meetings of cross-cutting nature and that involve more than one Ministry, it is advised that such requests should be made through the office of the Deputy President for the coordination purposes,” an excerpt of the ministry’s statement read.
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