A big task lies ahead for President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga’s pointmen in parliament, with the push to adopt the Building Bridges Initiative report getting into the crucial stage.
The two leader made a huge step on Tuesday when MPs approved the list of reconstituted House committees to cement the handshake deal that has set pace for the 2022 general elections.
The BBI mission now squarely lies in the hands of Leader of Majority Amos Kimunya and his Minority counterpart John Mbadi who will coordinate affairs with the friendly committee chairmen to ensure the BBI agenda goes through unopposed.
Mbadi has already hinted that the days ahead are all but going to revolve around the implementation of the BBI report.
Two critical committees earmarked for the task ahead are the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and the Budget and Appropriations Committee
The changes saw Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa, a close ally to DP Ruto removed as Budget committee chair and replaced by Kieni MP Kanini Kega.Ichungwa was moved to the Members Services and Hospitality committee.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, Embakasi North MP James Gakuya, Manyatta MP Nyaga Muchiri who are perceived to be anti-handshake were also kicked out of the budget committee.
Homa Bay Woman Representative Gladys Wanga, who is also a frontline campaigner for the BBI has been rewarded with the chairperson position of the crucial Finance and Planning committee.
The Justice and Legal Committee will be spearheaded by Kangema MP Muturi Kigano as the chair and deputised by Rarieda MP Otiende Omolo.The committee will among other things, take charge of the recruitment of the New Chief Justice ahead of the 2022 elections.
The Committee is expected to also take charge of the reconstitution of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), initiate and conclude the process of replacing outgoing Chief Justice David Maraga and filling the Office of the registrar of political parties with a new registrar.
“JLAC is the committee that will deal with BBI. We have to make it compliant in order to ensure the reforms we want sail through. We don’t want members who are going to negatively politicize the process and Sabotage it at the committee level,” said National Assembly Minority leader concerning the changes at JLAC.
Another crucial committee for the BBI process is the Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee that has Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma in charge.
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