The National Assembly has commenced the reconstitution of 18 parliamentary committees, a move that has sparked tension among Members of Parliament, particularly those perceived to be aligned with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. With concerns that certain lawmakers may be excluded from powerful committees, the process is being closely watched.
The affected committees include the House Business Committee, the Powers and Privileges Committee, and the Welfare Committee, among others. Their term having expired, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula has instructed the leaders of both the Majority and Minority parties to complete the reconstitution before Parliament resumes next month.
Speaking during a retreat in Naivasha, Wetangula emphasized that his office is not involved in the selection process and urged MPs not to seek his intervention. He expressed concern that some legislators might be sidelined but called on the leadership of both coalitions to appoint credible individuals to the committees.
In addition to parliamentary restructuring, Wetang’ula welcomed the gazettement of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) selection panel, noting that significant time had already been lost. He stressed that once appointed, the new commissioners would have an extensive workload, including boundary reviews and overseeing by-elections in four constituencies.
The Speaker also revisited the contentious issue of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), which was declared unconstitutional by the High Court. While Parliament has appealed the decision, he urged MPs to explore alternative funding mechanisms to ensure continued support for bursary allocations and infrastructure projects in constituencies.
Reflecting on the past year, Wetang’ula acknowledged the challenges Parliament had faced, including widespread demonstrations led by the Gen-Z movement and incidents of parliamentary invasion. He further decried the spread of fake news, referencing recent false reports about an MP’s demise, which, he said, have disrupted parliamentary operations. He assured the public that measures are being implemented to curb misinformation through technology and accurate information dissemination.
Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wah criticized MPs who raise parliamentary issues in funerals and public barazas rather than in the House. He defended the performance of the 13th Parliament, asserting that despite tensions with the Senate over legislative jurisdiction, significant progress has been made, including the passage of key bills.
Meanwhile, Minority Leader Junet Mohammed highlighted public participation as a major challenge in the current Parliament, noting that it has led to several court cases. He affirmed that the reconstitution of committees is already underway to prevent any governance lapses when Parliament resumes.
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Samuel Njoroge, reported that 149 bills had been tabled in Parliament, with 17 signed into law, underscoring legislative progress despite political hurdles. With Parliament set to reconvene soon, the leadership’s focus remains on ensuring continuity and effective governance.
