National Assembly committees given seven days to elect leadership as reshuffle takes effect

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula has directed all parliamentary committees to elect their Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons within seven days following their reconstitution.

The House approved the new list of committee members on Wednesday after a prolonged delay that had stalled key legislative processes, including the processing of the 2025 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) and the Supplementary Budget II for the Financial Year 2024-2025.

The delay was attributed to a political standoff between President William Ruto's party and opposition leader Raila Odinga's coalition, which had hampered the formation of the Budget and Appropriations Committee (BAC), a crucial entity in budgetary matters.

Among those affected by the changes is Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, who was ousted as chair of the Budget and Appropriations Committee. It remains uncertain whether he will be re-elected to the role.

Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, and Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngogoyo, known allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, also lost their committee positions. Gakuya had chaired the Trade Committee, while Ngogoyo was a member of the Environment, Forestry and Mining Committee.

National Assembly Majority Whip Sylvanus Osoro explained that the delay was due to the expiration of terms for specific committees and the need to incorporate regional, gender, and political considerations in the reconstitution process.

“Over 90 MPs expressed interest in joining the Budget and Appropriations Committee. During the reconstitution, we considered regional balance, gender representation, political affiliations, and other negotiations,” Osoro said.

Speaker Wetang'ula reiterated that the committees must finalise their leadership elections within the stipulated timeframe.

“You are obligated, in the committees that have been reconstituted, to elect the leadership—chair and vice chair—on or before Wednesday next week,” Wetang'ula said.

He further instructed the Clerk of the National Assembly to publish the schedule for committee meetings.

“Tomorrow, by 8 in the morning, the Clerk is directed to release a schedule of meetings for various committees so that you can observe that schedule and meet as directed in the assigned rooms, with the Clerk and his team supervising the election of the committee leadership,” he added.

The Speaker emphasised that the reconstitution of committees remains a dynamic process.

“Where there are gaps or issues to be addressed, you can go back to your caucuses or leadership. If they find merit in your concerns, they will replace one member with another and inform the Speaker, who will ensure due process is followed,” he said.

The committees affected by the reconstitution include the Committee of Powers and Privileges, the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee, the Committee on Parliamentary Broadcasting and Library, the Committee on Implementation, the Procedure and House Rules Committee, the Public Petitions Committee, the Diaspora Affairs and Migrant Workers Committee, the Committee on Delegated Legislation, the Committee on Regional Integration, the Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity, the National Government Constituencies Development Fund Committee, and the Committee on Appointments.

Others are the Public Accounts Committee, the Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education, the Public Investments Committee on Commercial Affairs and Energy, the Special Funds Accounts Committee, the Decentralized Funds Accounts Committee, the Public Debt and Privatisation Committee, and the Budget and Appropriations Committee.

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Additionally, the Administration and Internal Security Committee, the Agriculture and Livestock Committee, the Blue Economy, Water and Irrigation Committee, the Communication, Information and Innovation Committee, the Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, the Education Committee, the Energy Committee, the Environment, Forestry and Mining Committee, the Finance and National Planning Committee, the Health Committee, the Housing, Urban Planning and Public Works Committee, the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, the Lands Committee, the Regional Development Committee, the Social Protection Committee, the Sports and Culture Committee, the Tourism and Wildlife Committee, the Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Committee, and the Transport and Infrastructure Committee were also affected.

The reconstitution marks a critical step in ensuring the smooth operation of parliamentary affairs, with committee leadership elections expected to set the stage for key legislative engagements in the coming weeks.