NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 29 — Senate Minority leadership has presented a major committee reshuffle seeking to drop Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and Vihiga’s Godfrey Osotsi from two of the House’s most influential financial oversight committees, in changes set to be considered for adoption by the Senate.
Under the proposed changes submitted by the Minority Whip on Monday, July 27, Sifuna will exit the powerful County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and instead join the Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.
Osotsi, meanwhile, will leave the County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee (CPIC) and move to the Standing Committee on National Cohesion, Equal Opportunity and Regional Integration.
If approved, Sifuna will be replaced in CPAC by nominated Senator Joseph Githuku and Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo, while Osotsi’s slot in CPIC will be taken by Taita Taveta Senator Johnes Mwaruma and nominated Senator Hezena Lemaletian.
The proposed reshuffle comes amid widening political divisions within ODM, with both Sifuna and Osotsi emerging as key figures in the Linda Mwananchi Movement, a breakaway opposition faction that has increasingly challenged the political direction taken by Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga who replaced his late brother Raila Odinga as Party Leader in October 2025.
Sifuna, who was removed ODM Secretary-General has in recent months spearheaded the movement’s nationwide mobilisation campaign, positioning it as an alternative political platform ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Together with Osotsi who also lost his position as Deputy Party Leader, the two have held rallies across the country while openly signalling their intention to chart a different political course from the party leadership.
The committee changes are yet another indication of an ongoing purge although the Minority leadership has not publicly linked the proposed reassignments to the ongoing political differences.
The reshuffle forms part of a wider reconstitution of Minority Party representation across both standing and select committees following recommendations by the Senate Business Committee.
The overhaul also proposes moving Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang’ from the Energy Committee to the Information, Communication and Technology Committee.
Nominated Senator Beatrice Ogola is set to move from Agriculture to the Energy Committee, while Kitui Senator Enoch Wambua will join the Trade, Industrialization and Tourism Committee.
Other proposed changes include Shakila Abdalla’s transfer from the ICT Committee to Health, Hamida Kibwana’s move from Trade to Roads, Transportation and Housing, and several changes affecting committee membership across the Minority side.
However, the Senate Business Committee flagged one anomaly in the proposed list, noting that nominated Senator Crystal Asige would end up serving on more than two standing committees, contrary to Standing Order 198(3).
The committee observed that no justification had been provided for the exception as required under the Senate Standing Orders.
The Senate Business Committee has recommended that the House approve the proposed changes through a motion. If adopted, the reshuffle will immediately reconstitute the affected Senate committees.
