Nairobi deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke. [Photo/How Kenya]
Nairobi deputy Governor Jonathan Mueke on Sunday differed with Water CS Eugene Wamalwa over claims that ministers are campaigning for President Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-election bid.
According to Mueke, the Public Sector Act restricts Cabinet secretaries from campaigning for the president.
He further said CSs should not be partisan so as to serve all Kenyans.
Mueke who spoke during an interview on KBC television on Sunday night, said some of the CSs have taken a partisan stance and were now intimidating the opposition members.
But while speaking to the broadcaster on the phone, Wamalwa argued that the law allows ministers from both the national and county governments to sell the policies of their governments.
He denied campaigning for Uhuru but noted that the law was categorical on the roles of ministers and civil servants on matters politics.
He added that there is a very thin line between politics and selling government policies on the part of the Cabinet secretaries.
“Those saying that ministers have been barred from engaging in politics have not read and understood the law well. It is therefore difficult to clearly state that this is the line that ministers should not cross.”
“There is a clear exemption on the requirement of political neutrality when it comes to Cabinet secretaries because they are the government’s mouthpiece when it comes to selling policies,” said Wamalwa.
He said as the people implementing the policies, ministers are therefore better placed to tell Kenyans what the government has achieved as it regards its manifesto.