Majority of the Sectoral and Select Committees at the Nairobi City County Assembly have finally been reconstituted to pave way for the final run of the assembly’s oversight role.
On Tuesday,Baba Dogo MCA Godfrey Majiwa was unanimously elected to replace embattled Kitisuru counterpart Alvin Palapala who failed to show up for the election.
At the same time, Highrise MCA Kennedy Oyugi retained his position as the Water Committee Chairperson with Asli Mohamed ( special nominee) set to deputize him.
Maurice Ochieng of Mountain View ward retained the Health Committee leadership to round up ODMs dominance in the assembly leadership.
But it is the election of Majiwa as the Planning Committee Chairperson that got the attention of many,with the committee having been under immense criticism for colluding with the executive’s planning officers in fanning corrupt practices in the department.
Upon his election,Majiwa promised to streamline the oversight role and use his position to unmask the rot in the department while providing long lasting solutions.
Nominated MCA Perpeture Mbonjiwa had earlier been re-elected as the Chairperson of the Education Committee, with Gatina MCA Kennedy Swaka bagging the Vice Chairperson position.
The leadership was endorsed by members of the committee, handing Mbonjiwa another opportunity to steer the committee as it undertakes oversight of one of the most critical sectors in the capital.
Swaka’s re-election as Vice Chairperson is also expected to provide continuity in the committee’s work, particularly as the Assembly intensifies scrutiny of programmes targeting learners, parents and early childhood education facilities across the city.
In her acceptance remarks, Mponjiwa pledged to put the interests of Nairobi’s learners and parents at the centre of the committee’s agenda, with particular focus on the implementation of bursary programmes and the improvement of Early Childhood Development and Education (ECDE) centres.
She said the committee would pay close attention to the allocation and distribution of bursaries to ensure that deserving learners benefit from county education support without discrimination or unnecessary delays.
Bursary programmes remain an important intervention for thousands of families in Nairobi, particularly those struggling to meet school-related expenses.
The committee is expected to scrutinise how funds are allocated to wards, the criteria used to identify beneficiaries and whether the money reaches students on time.
Beyond bursaries, the committee will also be expected to monitor the condition of ECDE centres across the county.
Several public early learning facilities require rehabilitation, renovation and additional learning infrastructure, including classrooms, sanitation facilities, furniture and other basic amenities necessary for creating safe and conducive learning environments for children.
Mbonjiwa is expected to push for faster completion of stalled ECDE projects while demanding accountability over funds allocated for construction and rehabilitation.
The committee will also have a critical oversight role in tracking expenditure within the education docket, ensuring that funds approved by the County Assembly are utilised for their intended purposes.
This will include examining project implementation reports, procurement processes, pending projects and value for money in county-funded education programmes.
Members are also expected to engage the Executive on the need to strengthen coordination between the county government, schools, parents and other education stakeholders.
With Nairobi continuing to experience rapid population growth, demand for quality public education infrastructure has increased, placing pressure on existing ECDE centres and other learning facilities.
