Presidential Transition Committee unveiled as elections knock

Post by : Ann Njambuya

The constitution of Kenya 2010 sets very clear guidelines into the assumption of office of a new president. In order to ensure the smooth transfer of power from one president to another, the constitution stipulates the need for a transition committee.

This committee handles the day to day activities of orienting and integrating the new president into office. It also ensures that things are not done in a haste.

This committee ensure that the swearing in of a president is a public event witnessed by all Kenyans. The act that supports this committee is the Assumption of Office of the President Act, 2012. This act provides a detailed procedure of how the assumption of office will go.

The act will seem very important especially during this election after a hotly contested election between two big wigs. During the 2007 general election president Mwai Kibaki was sworn in at night under the veil of darkness. This action led to the election violence that was witnessed.

During this years budget, the assumption of office was allocated a budget of Ksh 200 million. This money is set aside to ensure that the incoming president is not faced by dire financial constraints.

The Committee

The Act also establishes a 20-member Assumption of the Office of President committee, with the Secretary to the Cabinet being the chairperson. critics have argued that there might be a problem with this provision as Kenya hasn’t had a secretary of state since 2013.

Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiangi and Ps Karanja Kibicho during a past press conference. The duo will be part of the powerful transition team unveiled. — **Photo//Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiangi and PS Karanja Kibicho during a past press conference. The duo will be part of the powerful transition team unveiled.**

The other members of this transition committee include the following:

Attorney General Kihara Kariuki,
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i,
Principal Secretaries Karanja Kibicho (Principal Secretary Interior),
Julius Muia (Principal secretary Finance),
Macharia Kamau (Principal Secretary Foreign Affairs)
Jerome Ochieng (Principal secretary ICT). Others in the committee are Chief of Defence Forces Robert Kibochi, National Intelligence Services Director-General Philip Kameru, Inspector-General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, Clerk of the National Assembly Michael Sialai, Clerk of the Senate Jeremiah Nyegenye and Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Anne Amadi.

The act also stipulates the time duration during which the swearing in process will take. it takes in effect that the ceremony should be held between 10 am and 2 pm on the identified date. The day for the swearing in is also considered a public holiday.

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