A past cabinet meeting.[Photo/PSCU]
New details ahave emerged regarding the naming of a new cabinet by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.
The two were expected to name the new Cabinet as soon as they were sworn in following their win in the October election.
It has now emerged the country will remain in a speculation mode untill January 2018.
According to a Government source who spoke to Standard, the leadership is awaiting a comprehensive report on background checks of the Cabinet nominees by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
According to the source, President Uhuru Kenyatta has to be certain of whom he brings on board as Cabinet Secretaries are often in contact with classified State secrets.
There are also claims that the final list is yet to be arrived at given the pressure Kenyatta and Ruto have to fulfill their promise to reward their loyal members from other parties.
“The appointments will be announced in January. The President knows who is to be in his new Cabinet, but in his own discretion, has decided to hold on until January,” said the source.
The Nation had earlier reported that the delays on the naming of the Cabinet was due to lack of the parliamentary committees which are to vet the nominees once named by the President.
“The President and his Deputy are not in a hurry to name a new Cabinet. They will do it when they are ready. What I can assure you is that when the announcement comes, the relevant parliamentary committees will be ready to vet and approve the list,” affirmed Senate Majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen.