[wpsocialite]
News reaching Kenya Today indicate that the amazing Mrs Bett Kaari Murungi and Prof Oliver Mugenda are set for cabinet nominations. Mrs Murungi’s name featured prominently during the search for the country’s Chief Justice, Deputy Chief Justice and Attorney General last year.
Prof Mugenda played a crucial role in Kibaki’s 2007 re-election campaign by providing the the University facilities for strategy meetings among others alleged roles.
In March 2013, election materials believed to have been used in rigging the presidential election were found at Kenyatta University. The students who were involved in the violence that ensured have since been summoned to appear before the university disciplinary committee.
Prof Mugenda a career educationists will most likely be named Education secretary.
A scholar per excellence, Betty Murungi a Harvard LLM graduate, is a Board Member of the ICC Trust Fund for Victims- representing African States and Vice-Chair of the Kenya Human Rights Commission. Previously she served as the Vice-Chair of the wobbling Truth, Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) where she resigned at height of accusations levelled against the Commissions Chair Ambassador Bethuel Kiplagat on his role in past atrocities such as the Wagalla Massacre and land grabbing issues that the commission was mandated to unravel and seek a closure.
Many wished to see her apply for the vacant seat of the Deputy Chief Justice and Vice President of the Supreme Court position that was left vacant after the resignation of the disgraced women rights crusader Justice Nancy Baraza last year but never did!
Ms Murungi joins a list of impressive civil society activists who have joined one arm of the government, they include the immediate former Executive Director of Kituo cha Sheria Priscilla Nyokabi who won the Nyeri County women representative seat on a TNA party ticket, former Vice-Chair Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) Hassan Omar Hassan who won the Mombasa County Senate seat, Chief Justice Will Mutunga, Supreme Court Judge Lady Justice Njoki Ndungu among others.
By Appointing Bett Murungi, the President and his deputy will have killed two birds with one stone; representing the interests of Meru region and also Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Whether she will replicate her illustrious career as an academician and human rights activist in the cabinet will be known in a matter of time. From Kenya Today, we wish Betty Kaari Murungi well in her political endeavours and who knows.