Raila allies to face off today during election of Senate committee heads

Allies of opposition chief Raila Odinga will this morning face off in the election of the chairperson of key Senate Oversight committees after the approval of the House.

The County Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and the County Public Investment and Special Funds Committee (CPISFC) hold their polls today, paving way for members to start inviting county bosses to answer to audit queries.

In the 12th Parliament, both PAC and PIC were joined together under County Public Accounts and Investment Committee (CPAIC) but have now been separated into two.

This is after the House proposed amendments to the Senate Standing Orders to split the oversight committee.

‘People Daily’ has established that the Raila Odinga-led coalition is proposing that Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna chairs the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) .

Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has been earmarked for the County Public Investment and Special Funds Committee, while Dr Oburu Oginga (Siaya) will represent the coalition in the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC).

Osotsi will chair the County Public Investment and Special Committee (PIC).If PAC picks Sifuna, he will serve in the committee alongside Samson Cherargei (Nandi), John Methu (Nyandarua), Mariam Omar (nominated), Julius Mwenda (Meru), Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo), Richard Onyonka (Kisii), Moses Kajwang’ (Homa Bay) and Omtatah Okoiti (Busia).

Earlier on, the committee had been earmarked for Kajwang’ but Raila is said to have prevailed to have Sifuna chair it after the Deputy Minority Whip post was snatched from him and handed to his Narok counterpart, Ledama Ole Kina. Yesterday, Sifuna reiterated that he has never been overly interested in chairing any committee, but in serving all citizens  in any capacity.

“I am not interested in being the PAC chair. If any Senator wants to be the chair, I will support his bid. I am contented being the Nairobi Senator and a member of any committee. Even if they want to place me under the Catering Committee,” said Sifuna.

If elected, Osotsi will chair PIC and serve alongside Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet), Karungo Thang’wa (Kiambu), Maureen Mutinda (nominated), Miraj Abdullahi (nominated), Eddy Oketch (Migori), Ledama Olekina (Narok), Hamida, Kibwana (nominated) and Tom Ojienda (Kisumu).

While supporting the motion to approve the members of the two Sessional committees, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei argued that there was a need to hold county governments accountable.

“What have we done with devolution for 10 years? In some places, the citizens will tell you that the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has done more than the county governments”, he said.

He said that governors who decline to appear before the Senate must be arrested. During the last Parliament, then Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria and his Kakamega counterpart Wycliffe Oparanya refused to appear before the then-joined CPAIC.