 |
| Stella Soi Langat |
The National Assembly Committee on Appointments listed several reasons why it decided to drop one Cabinet Secretary nominee from the 20 recently picked by President William Ruto.
The Committee whose report was adopted by the whole house said the nomination of Stella Soi Langat as Minister for Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage could not be approved given that she failed to convince lawmakers that she was suitable for the role.
The Committee said the nominee did not demonstrate knowledge of topical, administrative, and technical issues touching on the portfolio to which she had been nominated.
In the report, members of the Committee chaired by Speaker Moses Wetangula argued that Ms Langat failed to demonstrate adequate knowledge of topical, administrative and technical issues touching on the Ministry of Gender, Culture, The Arts and Heritage to which she had been nominated to lead.
.jpg)
“The nominee is unsuitable for the position to which she was nominated as she was unable to respond in a satisfactory manner to the queries raised during the approval hearing relating to Gender, Heritage and Culture,” the MPs said in the report
According to the legislators, the Ministry is strategically important and is tasked with overseeing critical national policies and services.
They argued that the Ministry requires leadership with a strong strategic vision, cultural sensitivity, and a deep understanding of policy management, which Ms Langat lacked.
The committee was categorical that, given the Ministry’s functions and mandate, a person seeking to head it must be an effective communicator and innovative and committed to promoting cultural heritage and gender equality.
“The nominee failed to exhibit any of these qualities to the committee’s satisfaction,” the MPs said in their concluding remarks effectively sealing her fate
In their assessment, the lawmakers also pointed out that Stella Langat’s experience in public service, spanning almost 30 years, is marked by frequent job transitions in various roles.
“All the six different postings that the nominee has held do not require any long-term strategic planning. As a result, she has not become grounded in any specific leadership role in the public service,” the Committee said
President William Ruto is expected to nominate another person to be considered for the post.
In the meantime, the 19 CS nominees who were approved by parliament will be sworn into office Thursday morning after appointment by the President on Wednesday.
By Eric Biegon