Legislators jostle for key committee jobs

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale (left) and Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo at Parliament on March 18, 2015. Legislators are jostling for key Parliament jobs as committees will be reconstituted in January 2016. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI |

What you need to know:

  • In the National Assembly, the committees to be filled are Budget and Appropriations, Public Accounts and Public Investments.

  • In the Senate, the committees to be reconstituted in February are Devolved Government, County Public Accounts and Investment and the Committee on Implementation and Delegated Legislation.

MPs and Senators have begun jostling for key House committee positions. 

The committees are normally dissolved after every session and reconstituted at the beginning of every year.

In the National Assembly, the committees to be filled are Budget and Appropriations, Public Accounts and Public Investments.

National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi directed members of these committees to finish their work before MPs resume sittings in February.

“I remind political party leaderships of the House to present names of their nominees to the three Committees,” Mr Muturi said Thursday. 

He asked them to resume sittings on January 18 to complete drafting their reports.

In the Senate, the committees to be reconstituted in February are Devolved Government, County Public Accounts and Investment and the Committee on Implementation and Delegated Legislation.

PAC and PIC, together with the Senate’s county public accounts committee play a key role in looking at how national and county governments use public money.

Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale is expected to retain the accounts committee after Jubilee and Cord struck a deal.

The Devolution committee, was chaired by Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen who has since been appointed deputy majority leader.

Nandi Senator Stephen Sang is touted to replace him but might get competition from deputy chairperson Naisula Lesuuda.

During the special sitting last Wednesday, Mr Muturi suspended sittings of all committees until next year.