MP initiates petition seeking to fire Health CS Sicily Kariuki

Health Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki may not be out of the woods yet as it has emerged that the National Assembly could on Tuesday next week discuss a special motion seeking her removal from office.

The motion comes even after Deputy President Mr William Ruto directed National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale to have the MPs drop the bid to remove the Health minister.

Mandera North MP Bashir Abdullahi, who is behind the latest petition which he said is now with the clerk of the House, said that the process to compel President Uhuru Kenyatta to fire Ms Kariuki is complete.

GROUNDS

The MP cites gross misconduct and abuse of office as the grounds for the removal of Ms Kariuki, noting that already, 170 MPs have expressed their lack of confidence in her leadership.

“Concerned that this Cabinet Secretary is arrogant and lacks respect for elected leaders, this House resolves that pursuant to article 152 (6) of the Constitution, recommends the president to dismiss Ms Kariuki for gross misconduct and abuse of office,” reads the motion.

Ms Kariuki is accused of arbitrarily suspending the CEO of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Ms Lily Koros after surgery was done on the wrong patient.

“She has used her office to deny other qualified Kenyans the chance to be the CEO of the hospital by ordering the board to re-submit another list,” Mr Abdullahi said in the motion.

If approved, it will be the first time such a motion is discussed in Parliament in the life of the Jubilee administration since 2013 when it came to power.

Previous attempts against CSs have failed after petitioners either failed to prove their claims or failed to present themselves to move the motions.

In 2015, Speaker Justin Muturi dismissed a petition by Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter seeking the removal of then Devolution CS Anne Waiguru over claims of gross misconduct and abuse of office.

TOUGH CONDITIONS

The Speaker set tough, new conditions that MPs seeking to initiate impeachment proceedings against the President, his deputy, Cabinet secretaries and constitutional office holders must fulfil before such motions can be approved.

In his new requirements, Mr Muturi directed that all special motions brought before the House under articles 145, 150(2), 152(6) and 251 of the Constitution must comply with thresholds established by courts of law as to what constitutes gross violation of the Constitution, gross misconduct or abuse of office under the Constitution.

Consequently, Mr Muturi ruled that potential petitioners must first identify the grounds that must be fully backed with evidence for his determination.

Upon determination that the grounds are valid, the petitioner is then allowed to go ahead and collect signatures from MPs supporting his course.

Belgut MP Nelson Koech, who is expected to second the petition was upbeat, saying that the House is resolute that Ms Kariuki should be fired.

“The mood of the MPs is to have the CS go home like yesterday. If the motion came today, she will not survive,” Mr Koech said.