Sifuna dropped from Oburu-led Senate Energy committee in reshuffle

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has been dropped from the Energy Committee following changes to the membership of several standing committees approved by the Senate.

The reshuffle, announced on Wednesday, June 17, by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, saw Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang nominated to take over Sifuna's position in the committee, chaired by Siaya Senator and ODM Party leader Oburu Oginga.

While communicating the changes to the House, Cheruiyot said the Senate Business Committee proposed the adjustments in line with the Senate Standing Orders governing committee membership.

“Notwithstanding the resolution of the Senate made on February 12, 2025, on the approval of Senators to serve in various standing committees of the Senate and pursuant to Standing Orders 197, 199, 228 and the Fourth Schedule to the Standing Orders, the Senate has approved the following Senators nominated by the Senate Business Committee to serve in various committees,” said Cheruiyot.

Under the changes, Garissa Senator Abdul Mohamed Haji replaces Nominated Senator Beatrice Akinyi Ogolla in the Energy committee. 

The reorganisation also affected the Committee on Information, Communication and Technology, where Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu was nominated to replace Ogolla.

In a corresponding adjustment, Ogolla was moved to the Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Committee, taking the place of Kajwang after his transfer to the Energy Committee.

Addressing the House, Cheruiyot described the changes as routine committee adjustments originating from the Minority side of the Senate.

“Mr Speaker, these are routine changes to committees. They have come from the Minority side. We have similar ones on the Majority side, which we have submitted but missed the deadline yesterday,” he stated. 

The latest changes mean Sifuna will continue serving in his remaining Senate committees: the Senate County Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Kajwang, and the Senate National Security, Intelligence and Foreign Relations Committee, chaired by Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dullo.

The changes come amid the turmoil within the ODM party between Sifuna's Linda Mwananchi movement and the Linda Ground faction led by Oburu. 

Sifuna, who has been defiant in his stance of not supporting the broad-based arrangement, has recently found himself on the receiving end of internal political crackdowns, including ODM initiating his ouster as Secretary General, and replacing him with Busia Woman Representative Catherine Omanyo. 

However, Sifuna received a reprieve when the Political Parties Dispute Tribunal (PPDT) halted the decision, pending the hearing of the case.