George Murugara, Chairperson of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee (JLAC) of the National Assembly, has clarified the legal status of Chief Administrative Secretaries (CAS), affirming that they are not considered State officers akin to Cabinet Secretaries (CS) and Principal Secretaries (PS).
During a panel discussion by national media house, Muragara emphasized that Parliament had amended a previous bill that sought to classify CASs as State officers. He explained that this decision means CASs will not be required to appear before Parliament, as Parliament does not view them as having that responsibility.
Muragara elaborated that while CSs will delegate duties to CASs, the latter will not be obligated to appear before Parliament. This arrangement aims to ease the workload of ministers, allowing them more flexibility to attend parliamentary summons.
Highlighting the hierarchical structure, Muragara noted that CSs and PSs will maintain higher positions compared to CASs.
These clarifications follow a High Court ruling in July 2023, which deemed President Ruto’s attempt to appoint 50 CASs as unconstitutional. The JLAC’s report on proposed amendments to various laws supports the establishment of the office of the CAS, citing its necessity.
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