Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will have to craft a new cabinet after some of his ministers resigned from their positions to contest various elective positions in the August general elections.
On Tuesday, Petroleum Minister John Munyes, Devolution Minister Charles Keter and their counterpart in the Ministry of East African Community and Regional Development Adan Mohamed resigned to vie for governor positions in Turkana, Kericho and Mandera respectively.
Apart from the two, various other top civil servants tendered their resignations as they also eye various elective positions.
The resignations came after the Court of Appeal upheld a ruling that requires any civil servants who want to vie in the upcoming elections to resign from their positions by February 9.
A High Court judge in January struck out a petition challenging the enforcement of a clause in the election law requiring them to do so six months to the date of the General Election.
A petitioner had sought to have Section 43(5) of the Elections Act declared unconstitutional, arguing that it is discriminatory to force civil servants to resign as a pre-requisite qualification to vie for elective seats, while their rivals in the private sector and those holding political positions remain in office.
The High Court’s ruling was escalated to the Court of Appeal.
Other top officials also quit their positions on Tuesday, including Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS) in various Ministries.
Mumina Bonaya resigned as Education CAS, Patrick Ole Ntutu resigned as Labour CAS, Ken Obura resigned as East Africa Community CAS, Gideon Mung’aro resigned as Devolution CAS, Hassan Omar resigned as Education CAS and John Mosonik resigned as Petroleum CAS.
Others who resigned earlier include Joseph Boinett (Tourism CAS) and Wavinya Ndeti (CAS Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure).
