- Amisi to chair powerful PAC.
- Oundo is the new chair of the PIC Agriculture.
Image: FILE
Azimio leader Raila Odinga has settled on Suna East MP Junet Mohamed as the leader of Minority in the National Assembly.
Junet, who is serving his third term, will be replacing outgoing Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi who has been nominated to head the Energy and Petroleum docket in President William Ruto’s broad-based government.
The Suna East lawmaker is currently the Minority Whip, a position he has held since last Parliament.
Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo will be succeeding Junet as the Minority Whip in changes announced after the ODM Central Management Committee meeting chaired by Raila.
In the changes read by party secretary general Edwin Sifuna, Saboti MP Caleb Amisi will be the chairman of the powerful Public Accounts Committee.
Amisi, a second term lawmaker, takes over from nominated MP John Mbadi who has been nominated to head the National Treasury.
Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo has been moved to Public Investment Committee on Agriculture as the vice chairperson.
“That as far as to the vacancies in the party’s parliamentary leadership , the committee will be proposing to the Azimio Parliamentary Group that Junet Mohamed take up the role of Minority leader vacated by Opiyo Wandayi; Millie Odhiambo take up the role of the Minority Whip and Caleb Amisi take up the role of the chair PAC left by Mbadi,” Sifuna said.
“Lastly, Oundo take up the seat of vice chair PIC.”
The positions were ringfenced for ODM in the negotiations that followed the 2022 general elections.
The party officially released the ODM leaders nominated to the Cabinet, who also tendered their resignation during the day-long meeting.
“I confirm that I have received the resignation of Mbadi as the national chairperson, Opiyo Wandayi as secretary for political affairs, Wycliffe Oparanya and Hassan Joho as deputy party leaders,” Sifuna said.
The Nairobi senator also confirmed receiving the resignation of EAC CS nominee Beatrice Askul.
Askul was serving as a member in the three-member ODM elections board.
The five will remain as lifetime members of ODM, even as they serve in the broad-based government.
The law only bars a Cabinet secretary from being an official of a party, but he or she can be a party member.
Article 77 (2) of the Constitution of Kenya states, "Any appointed state officer shall not hold office in a political party."
The race to succeed Wandayi had attracted at least six contestants from the ODM party.
Some of the bigwigs who have expressed interests include MPs Otiende Amollo (Rarieda), Millie Odhiambo (Suba North), Anthony Kibagendi (Kitutu Chache South), Jared Okelo (Nyando) and James Nyikal (Seme).
Homa Bay Town MP Opondo Kaluma was also said to have expressed interest.
ODM also reiterated it has no coalition agreement with Ruto’s UDA party and they will continue playing their oversight of Kenya Kwanza government.
“We reiterate that there is no agreement of any nature between ODM and Kenya Kwanza. ODM therefore remains a member of the Azimio la Umoja One-Kenya coalition and will continue to play its opposition role alongside other parties to push for accountability, transparency and equity in governance and public affairs,” Sifuna said.