Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has now made it clear that the Public Seal of Kenya is held by the Attorney General and not by the Head of Public Service, as he had earlier stated on May 19. This clarification comes after days of public confusion following his earlier announcement.
The Public Seal is an important national symbol that is used to prove that official documents are legitimate and have the full backing of the state. It includes Kenya’s coat of arms on a grey background with two lions holding spears and a shield, which symbolize protection and strength.
Earlier in the week, Mwaura had said that the Public Seal had been transferred from the Attorney General to the Head of Public Service through a legal process.
At that time, he stated, “The transfer of the custody of the public seal from the office of the attorney general to the office of the head of public service was conducted in accordance with the law.”
However, during a press briefing held on Thursday, May 22, he admitted that this was not the case. He explained that Parliament had actually removed a proposal from the National Government Administration Laws (Amendment) Bill that would have given the Head of Public Service the role of sole custodian of the seal.
The National Government Administration Laws (Amendment) Bill is a proposed law that seeks to make changes to how the national government is run.
It covers things like the formation of the offices of the Head of Public Service and Chief Administrative Secretary, their roles, and the requirements needed to hold these positions. The bill also includes other changes meant to improve how these roles function.
However, the specific part of the bill that tried to shift the custody of the Public Seal to the Head of Public Service was deleted by Parliament before the bill could pass.
Mwaura made it clear that according to Article 9 of the 2010 Constitution and clause 28A of the Office of the Attorney General Act, the Public Seal must remain under the Attorney General.
He said, “The public seal is actually under the custody of the attorney general, as per Article 9 of the constitution 2010, and if you look at the Office of the Attorney General Act, clause 28A on definition of terms, it clearly states exactly that.” He added that it was important to correct the record, saying, “It is through the attorney general, and that is disinformation that came as a result of a process in parliament, of course it was deleted.”
The Public Seal plays a serious role in how the government operates. It is used to stamp important documents to show they are genuine and have been officially approved. Without the seal, such documents might not be considered valid.
It is a key sign of Kenya’s authority and government power. Mwaura’s correction helps put the matter to rest and ensures that Kenyans know that the seal remains in the rightful hands of the Attorney General, as it always has been.
