The Anti-Gachagua impeachment members of parliament have been axed from key influential house committees in a recent reconstitution, a move that has been termed as a ruthless effort to try and diminish the former deputy president’s influence in the House.
The House Selection Committee Yesterday Wednesday 5, 2025 tabled the list of committee leadership, revealing the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) significant control which had quite a number of MPs seeking to replace Gachagua’s allies from ODM.
MPs allied to Raila Odinga are now set to lead five key departmental committees—Labour, Budget, Regional Integration, Health, and Trade—positions traditionally held by the ruling coalition as President William Ruto plans to accommodate him in his Kenya Kwanza government following his African Union Commission Chairperson’s election loss.
In the approaching changes, set to be done through election of the chairpersons of the committees is expected to begin today Thursday March 6,2025 and conclude Wednesday March 12, 2025 next week.
Alego Usonga MP Sam Atandi is expected to take over the budget committee chair role; Ikolomani MP Bernard Shinali is warming up for the trade committee chairperson seat formerly occupied by Gakuya.
Kilifi South legislator Ken Chonga is set for the labor committee, taking over from Karemba; while Nominated MP Irene Mayaka will take charge of the regional integration committee; as Seme MP Dr. James Nyikal prepares to assume the chairmanship of the health committee.
Giving a go-ahead for the house committee elections, Speaker Moses Wetangula urged the house to do the noble task in accordance with the parliamentary rules.
“The clerk will issue a schedule of meetings for committees to elect their leaders tomorrow. This is a work in progress—sometimes we lose members to death, and others must step in to replace them. The chair is elected based on the dynamics you all know,” Wetang’ula cautioned.
Wetangula further warned those set to be elected that much is expected from them as they are the first to ensure House quorum.
“Go ahead and elect leaders who will help this House. Those elected must be the first to ensure quorum in the House at all times. To whom much is given, much more is expected,” he added.
Among the key people affected with the reshuffle is Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya ,Tetu MP Godfrey Wandeto,Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngogoyo ,Naivasha Town MP Jayne Kihara, Gatanga MP Edward Muriu ,Marakwet West MP Timothy Toroitich, Runyenjes MP Eric Karemba ,outspoken Mumias East MP Peter Salasya as well as Manyatta MP John Mukunji have been removed from their former position to lesser influential seats to pave way for the ODM team which is to be incorporated by Ruto-Raila merger.
Sources suggest that Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro’s stand on Gachagua’s impeachment motion may cost him his position in the powerful Budget Committee as his fate is in limbo awaiting election.
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