Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has said President William Ruto has no confidence in AG to have the public seal. Photo: Richard Onyonka X.
Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has said that the current debate on the transfer of the Public Seal from the office of the Attorney General (AG), to the Head of Public Service, has clearly shown his lack of trust in the office.
Speaking during an interview on Tuesday, May 27 morning, Onyonka said that President Ruto has lost confidence in the legal counsel of AG Dorcas Oduor and has opted to transfer the mandate to a different office.
“I don’t think this issue is about the seal. This issue is talking about the person who has the job of Attorney General. The president does not have the trust that the person he has given the responsibility of advising him on legal matters cannot keep that seal,” he said.
The legislator further argued that the AG might opt to leave office, considering her post is jeopardy. His remarks after a revelation that the national symbol, recognized in the Second Schedule of the Constitution, was moved from its traditional custody of the AG to the custody of the HOPS.
The transition was reportedly facilitated by the National Assembly Administration Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2023, which proposed to amend the Office of the Attorney-General Act, 2012, to strip the Attorney General power to host the Seal.
Isaac Mwaura the Government Spokesperson defended the move stating that the process did not contravene any national values, and was done in accordance with the law. However, Mwaura later made a change on his arguments, that the seal is still in the custody with AG.
“The process is anchored in legislation, which recognizes the HOPS as the appropriate holder of the seal,” Mwaura said.
“If documents can be signed and bear the public seal without the AG’s legal advice, that is a serious issue. I’m sure that they are avoiding accountability by transferring such matters to the HOPS office,” Muturi said.
The question of the seal transfer has raised eyebrow and debates in the country, on the decision to change a long standing tradition that has been with previous governments before the Kenya Kwanza regime.
