10 things to know about Joseph Nkaissery
By EVELYNE MUSAMBI1. He was born in November 28 1949 (65 years ago) and served in the army since 1973. In 1987 he was appointed the Military Assistant to the Chief of General Staff.
2. He was in the pioneer education class (B. Ed) at the Kenyatta College, now Kenyatta University in 1971 but dropped out after one year of studying.
3. His last job in the army before retiring was as a commandant of the Armed Forces Training College and GOC Westcom. He retired in December 2002 after 29 years of service.
(Correction: An earlier version of this story had indicated that he served in the army for 15 years. We apologise for the mistake.)
4. He has held the parliamentary seat for Kajiado central since 2003 when he trounced David Sankori of Kanu
5. In 2009, he was part of the William Ntimama – led group that was opposed to a deal between the government and Rift Valley leaders for Mau evictees to be compensated. They called for their immediate eviction to save the country from environmental degradation.
6. In 2010, he told parliament that two Kenyan soldiers, Senior Sergeant Jonathan Kipkosgei Kangogo and Corporal Evan Mutoro, had been captured in Somalia on July 24. This was before Kenya Defense Forces went into Somalia.
7. It was during his tenure as Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Defence that Kenya Defence Forces invaded Somalia and in 2011 the Operation Linda Nchi launched. Kenya signed agreement with Somali’s defence ministry for collaboration in the fight against Al-Shabaab.
8. In November 2010, along with Defence Minister Yusuf Hajj, fellow assistant David Musila and Military head Julius Karangi appeared before a parliamentary committee on a controversy over the purchase of used Air Force jets from Jordan.
9. While doubling as an assistant minister and MP, he always attended parliament sittings and was at one point lauded while other ministers and their assistants were blacklisted for failing to respond to scheduled questions.
10. Should he be appointed Interior Cabinet Secretary, he will become the forth politician in the Jubilee cabinet.