NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 25 — Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi has been unanimously elected to chair the newly formed Senate County Investments and Special Funds Committee.
In the election conducted on Tuesday, his Kisumu counterpart Prof Tom Ojienda was unanimously backed to deputize him.
Osotsi pledged to ensure the new committee delivers on its oversight mandate on all investments done in counties as well as special funds.
“Counties are engaging in various investments and forming special funds, this committee will ensure that they engage prudently according to the law, we will offer servant leadership and make sure the investments benefit the common mwananchi,” Ososti said following his election.
Ojienda who also spoke following the resolution by the committee pointed out that the work before the departmental team is a huge mandate compared to that of the Senate Public Accounts Committee as it involved multiple projects ongoing in all the 47 counties.
‘’The public private partnerships and other investment ventures run into millions and needs proper oversight,” the Kisumu Senator stated.
Senators who sit in the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee are Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet) who was appointed as nominee for Transport and Roads, Karungo Thangwa (Kiambu), Maureen Mutinda (Nominated), Miraj Abdulrahman (Nominated), Eddy Oketch (Migori), Ledama Kina (Narok) and Hamida Kibwana (Nominated).
Meanwhile, Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang was elected as the Chairperson of the Senate County Public Accounts Committee. The powerful committee oversights expenditures by counties.
Kajwang who was elected unopposed will be serving in the position for a record third time.
He served as Chair in the 11th and 12th Parliament in the then Senate County Public Accounts and Investments Committee.
“I have sat on this chair before and I am looking forward to a very good relationship,” he said.
Senator Kajwang noted that “it will not be business as usual” and asked Governors to prepare for a “thorough audit.”
“It is not our intention of making the Governors love us,” he said adding they will prioritize all pending issues.
Kajwang will be deputized by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei.
The Nandi Senator thanked his colleagues for electing him.
“We shall do our work without fear or favor,” Cherargei said.
Senators Okiya Omtath (Busia), Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi), John Methu (Nyandarua), Mariam Omar (nominated), Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo), and Richard Onyonka (Kisii) will serve in the committee.
