This archive report was first published on 20 July 2020.
July 20, 2020 - The push to adopt the Building Bridges Initiative report has reached a crucial stage, with President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga's pointmen in parliament working tirelessly to ensure its success.
On Tuesday, MPs approved the list of reconstituted House committees, a significant step towards cementing the handshake deal that has set the pace for the 2022 general elections.
Leader of Majority Amos Kimunya and Minority counterpart John Mbadi will now coordinate affairs with the friendly committee chairmen to ensure the BBI agenda goes through unopposed.
Mbadi has hinted that the days ahead will revolve around the implementation of the BBI report, with two critical committees - the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and the Budget and Appropriations Committee - playing a key role in the process.
The changes in the committees 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, and 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, 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 take charge of the recruitment of the new Chief Justice ahead of the 2022 elections.
“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 John Mbadi concerning the changes at JLAC.
