Ndindi Nyoro replaced by Sam Atandi as budget committee chairperson
The Alego Usonga legislator was the only one who had submitted his papers to vie for the Chairperson position and got it automatically as per the parliamentary rules, which stipulate that when only one contender is nominated, the clerk officially declares them elected without a vote.
Alego Usonga Member of Parliament Samuel Atandi has been elected the new chairperson for the National Assembly’s Budget and Appropriations Committee.
Atandi, who was elected unopposed, replaces Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, who did not attend the election though he is a member.
The Alego Usonga legislator was the only one who had submitted his papers to vie for the chairperson position and got it automatically as per the parliamentary rules, which stipulate that when only one contender is nominated, the clerk officially declares them elected without a vote.
Atandi will be deputised by Endebes MP Robert Pukose, who was elected as the vice chairperson
The lawmaker thanked his colleagues for the opportunity to serve as the chairperson as he acknowledged the importance of the committee’s work.
According to Atandi, he has only got to serve as an advantage of the broad-based government.
“This is a demanding responsibility. I applaud the broad-based government. We have reached this point because of the broad-based government,” Atandi said.
He noted that the committee takes over at a time when there are growing concerns about the performance of the previous leadership, pledging to ensure the fair distribution of national resources, emphasizing that a balanced allocation is key to peace and stability.
“We know the map of the Republic of Kenya and understand that resource sharing affects peace and stability. We will ensure each county benefits from the resources entrusted to us,” he said.
Pukose echoed Atandi’s sentiments, vowing to champion equity in budget allocations.
The committee elections come after the Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula last week gave directions for them to elect the chairpersons and the vice chairpersons following the reconstitution.
The members of the committees were approved by the Committee of the Whole House after a prolonged delay that had stalled various processes, including the processing of the 2025 Budget Policy Statement (BPS) and the Supplementary Budget II for the Financial Year 2024-2025.
