Kimunya, Junet meeting unlocks stalemate on House committee posts

A five-hour meeting between National Assembly Majority Leader Amos Kimunya and Suna East MP Junet Mohamed unlocked the stalemate over the composition of various House committees that was threatening the ‘handshake’.

Jubilee and ODM finally agreed on how to share the spoils of the vacant positions that were created following the de-whipping of Deputy President William Ruto’s allies in the ongoing purge in the National Assembly.

Mr Mohamed Tuesday confirmed to the Nation that they had largely agreed on the reconstitution of the committees and the final list will be presented to Speaker Justin Muturi this week.

“We now have a common position on the committees. We had a meeting with the majority leader on Saturday and another on Monday and we are now okay with the list,” he told the Nation.

TEAMS’ COMPOSITION

Mr Kimunya also confirmed he had worked on everything with Mr Mohamed on the composition of the teams.

“As far as I’m concerned, we’ve harmonised the list and it is undergoing reviews at different levels,” he told the Nation.

ODM will chair three committees: Education, Finance and Planning and the parliamentary Broadcasting and Library Committee. In addition, ODM will also have a vice-chair’s seat in Legal Affairs and Constitution Implementation Oversight team.

Homa Bay Woman Rep Gladys Wanga is poised to chair the Finance and Planning committee while her Busia counterpart will chair the Education team. The party is yet to identify the chair for the parliamentary Broadcasting and Library committee.

LEGAL COMMITTEE

Rarieda MP Otiende Amolo will be the new deputy chair of the Justice and Legal Affairs committee while Homa Bay Town MP will be the new vice-chairman of the Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee, which is chaired by President Kenyatta’s ally Jeremiah Kioni.

The Nation has learnt that Kangema MP Muturi Kigano is poised to chair the legal committee.

In the agreement, Kalonzo Musyoka’s party, Wiper, will chair the Sports, Culture and Tourism committee that will go to Mavoko MP Patrick Makau. The position was left vacant following the de-whipping of Machakos MP Victor Munyaka.

Wiper will produce the vice-chair for the National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity committee. The team is chaired by nominated MP Maina Kamanda. By yesterday, Minority Leader John Mbadi said the party was yet to submit to his office the name of the occupant of the post.

BUDGET COMMITEE

Kieni MP Kanini Kega is poised to chair the Budget and Appropriation committee, formerly held by Kikuyu lawmaker Kimani Ichung’wa.

The lawmakers are likely to have a special sitting next week to approve the new composition of committees and the approval of the new Auditor-General, who was vetted last week.

Committees such as Education, Finance and Budget currently do not have chairpersons, a factor that the House wants to resolve so that they can continue discharging their mandate.

“We are likely to have a special sitting next week. I will consult with the majority and agree on the date. But it should be soon so that some committees without chairpersons and vice chairpersons can continue working during this recess,” Mr Mbadi said.

Mr Mbadi said the agreement is a great move towards implementing the reform agenda of President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM party leader Raila Odinga.