KOT slam CS Macharia over appointments

Kenyans on social media have shared strong criticism towards Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia after he extended the contracts of three people to serve on the board of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (NaMATA). The critics noted that the three beneficiaries namely Mary Chege, Zacharia Mungai, and Ronald Ndegwa, shared the same ethnic background as the high-ranking civil servant.

"In the exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 8(2) of the Nairobi Metropolitan Authority Order, 2017, the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Council appoints...to be members of the Nairobi Metropolitan Area Transport Authority Board for a period of three years with effect from February 10, 2021," read the gazette notice.

They will serve on the board for three more years, according to a Gazette notice dated February 5. "From your NMS appointments, you've taught me that constitutional change cannot cure political bad manners," opined Joshua Njenga. "Why are Kenyans surprised by CS Macharia appointments," Tabitha Kayungu added. "CS Macharia hana hata aibu ya handshake," said Robert Alai. NaMATA was created by President Uhuru Kenyatta in an executive order which was tasked with providing the metropolitan area with a world-class public transport system. The authority covers Nairobi, Kiambu, Murang’a, Machakos, and Kajiado counties.