UHURU NOMINATES NZOMO TSC CHAIR

President Uhuru Kenyatta has nominated Dr Lydia Nzomo as the chairperson of the Teachers Service Commission.

The nomination might finally end the protracted controversy over the position.

Thrice, the National Assembly has rejected Mr Kiragu wa Magochi, President Kenyatta’s nominee for the position.

The parliamentary committee on education in October last year rejected all the six nominees presented to Parliament for appointment to the commission, including Mr Magochi, a senior education official, and submitted a report to the assembly which was endorsed.

He was then an acting education secretary in the Ministry of Education.

Members rejected Mr Magochi’s nomination with some arguing that he was unfairly picked among his competitors. The committee recommended a fresh advertisement for all the six positions, stating that the list failed to meet several requirements.

The President has forwarded Dr Nzomo’s name to the National Assembly for consideration and approval. Dr Nzomo has been the director of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.

Speaker Justin Muturi informed Parliament of the President’s message and forwarded the proposal to the House committee on Education, Research and Technology.

Mr Muturi has asked the committee to report to the House by November 13. The law requires the National Assembly to either approve or reject a nominee to the position within 21 days. The committee will conduct hearings on the proposal and then submit a report to the assembly for approval. The Speaker asked the committee to notify the nominee and the public of the time and place of the public hearings in good time.