Ministers Beth Mugo (Public Health), Charity Ngilu (Water and Irrigation), Yusuf Haji (Defence), Soita Shitanda (Housing) and Fred Gumo (Regional Development) are among those without degrees.
Two other ministers Mr Najib Balala and Mr John Munyes have been pursuing university education but it was not clear yesterday whether they had completed their studies or not. Mrs Ngilu said she had already acquired necessary qualification.
A new private members Bill to be tabled in Parliament also seeks to set the maximum number of ministries at 24, slightly more than half of the current 42.
The Bill seeks to limit the power of a president or prime minister to create ministries to reward allies or for other political interests. It also makes advanced education a condition for appointment.
The law, as it now exists, merely states the President shall appoint his Cabinet from among MPs, but is silent on qualifications.
Mr Gumo has a higher diploma in mechanical engineering from Metropolis College in London, Ms Mugo has a diploma in Business Management from Goldey Beacom College, USA, while Ms Ngilu studied a secretarial course at Government Secretarial College. Mr Shitanda is a holder of Certified Public Accounts from Strathmore while Mr Haji has an East Africa Certificate of Education.
Speaking to the Nation on phone on Tuesday, Mrs Ngilu welcomed the proposal to reduce the number of ministries saying Kenyans have been yearning for a leaner government. It is a good thing, she said.
She also welcomed requirement that ministers should at least have a degree.
Today everybody has some form of qualification, she said. The minister, however, said good qualifications did not necessarily mean good performance.
Mrs Ngilu also said she had upgraded her certificate and acquired a degree, but could not say when she did it or from which university.
Contacted for comment on Tuesday, Mrs Mugo only said the Bill will be discussed when it comes to Parliament.
Mr Gumo, Mr Munyes, Mr Shitanda and Mr Haji could not be reached for comment.
Mr Karisa Maitha and Mr Maina Kamanda are among Cabinet ministers who left a positive mark in their ministries despite not having degrees. Mr Maitha has since died.
Some ministers with degrees have also performed dismally.
Reports from local universities indicated that many MPs had registered for various courses.
The government has already prepared a Bill requiring mayors and council chairpersons to at least have a basic degree.
The officials should further have served in a managerial position in a public or private institution for at least 10 years.
Meanwhile, NGO and religious leaders have supported the proposal to reduce the size of the Cabinet.
However, they also said that the number could be reduced further from the proposed 24 to remain at between 18 and 20.
Mars Group CEO Mwalimu Mati, said a bloated government was eating up a huge chunk of the countrys tax collections.
We fully support any attempts to rationalise the size of the government… this will indeed free up more money in the Budget which can be channelled back to development, he said.
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims secretary-general, Mr Adan Wachu, proposed that the Prime Ministers Office be retained with only one deputy.
I see no point of us having more than one deputy prime minister, he said and proposed the merger of the Ministry of East African Affairs and Regional Corporation with that of Foreign Affairs.
Lawyer Harun Ndubi said: We in the civil society have all along demanded a clean Cabinet. We hope that these proposals will be implemented fully.
Additional reporting by Dave Opiyo
Daily Nation
Post published in: Uncategorized