A Senate committee reshuffle has dealt a major blow to Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and his Vihiga counterpart Godfrey Osotsi, knocking them out of powerful watchdog committees that have long placed them at the centre of county accountability and public spending oversight.
The changes, approved on Tuesday, remove Osotsi from the chairmanship of the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee, ending a four-year stint at the helm of one of the House's most influential oversight panels. He has been reassigned to the Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism Committee, where he will serve as an ordinary member.
Sifuna has also been dropped from the Senate County Public Accounts Committee and moved to the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Committee. His reassignment comes just days after he was removed as Deputy Minority Whip, adding to a series of changes affecting his role in the House.
Apart from losing a powerful oversight position, Osotsi will also take home less in committee allowances. As committee chairperson, he earned Sh15,000 for every sitting, with payments capped at Sh240,000 per month, in addition to his salary and other parliamentary benefits.
His new position as an ordinary committee member reduces that allowance to Sh7,500 per sitting, with a monthly ceiling of Sh120,000. The move also takes away additional privileges associated with leading one of the Senate's oversight committees.
Senators are entitled to weekly mileage reimbursement for one return journey between Parliament and their counties at the SRC-approved rate of Sh152.6 per kilometre. Those serving in oversight committees also regularly participate in inspections, committee assignments and other accountability engagements.
As chairperson, Osotsi led investigations into county corporations, special funds, water companies, municipal boards and other public institutions handling billions of shillings. The committee routinely summoned governors, county executives and accounting officers to answer audit queries and explain how public funds had been spent.
His responsibilities included approving committee programmes, directing investigations and overseeing reports that frequently informed Senate recommendations on corruption cases and recovery of public resources.
Speaking during plenary proceedings on Thursday, Osotsi criticised the process that led to his removal, accusing the ODM leadership of acting unfairly.
“If anyone wants to remove any member from a committee, they should bring a substantive motion to the floor of the house instead of inciting and intimidating members to sign petitions,” the Vihiga senator said.
His former position will now be held by Taita Taveta Senator Johannes Mwaruma, who has been transferred from the Public Accounts Committee.
Sifuna's exit from the County Public Accounts Committee also sees him leave another influential oversight team that scrutinises reports prepared by the Auditor-General on county governments.
The committee plays a central role in questioning governors over procurement concerns, stalled development projects, pending bills and alleged misuse of county funds. During his time on the committee, Sifuna became one of its most outspoken members through his tough questioning of witnesses, insistence on supporting documents and criticism of spending he viewed as irregular.
Following the reshuffle, Senate Minority Leader Stewart Madzayo has been appointed to the County Public Accounts Committee to replace Sifuna.
The committee changes have fueled debate over whether the broad-based government is pushing critics away from accountability committees in an effort to strengthen its grip on Parliament.
Madzayo dismissed those claims, saying committee changes are routine and are meant to improve the work of the House while giving senators an opportunity to serve in different committees.
“The changes are normal, only that they come when the country is politically charged,” the Kilifi senator said.
Even so, the reshuffle has raised fresh concerns among observers, who argue that moving experienced members from key watchdog committees could weaken the Senate's ability to hold county governments accountable.