The Nairobi City County Assembly has reconstituted a number of its Sectoral and Select Committees, setting the stage for an intensified oversight push as the House enters the last phase of its current term.
The changes have brought new faces into key committee leadership positions while retaining some of the chairpersons.
The reorganisation comes at a time when the Assembly is under pressure to demonstrate that its committees can effectively exercise their constitutional oversight mandate.
The Assembly's official records show that several inquiries touching on revenue collection, stalled projects, planning, public land and county administration remain before committees.
The outstanding change is the election of Baba Dogo MCA Geoffrey Majiwa as Chairperson of the Planning and Housing Committee.
He replaces Alvin Palapala of Kitisuru, who was a no-show for the day as his colleagues sent him a protest vote.
Majiwa takes over at a particularly sensitive moment for Nairobi's planning department, which has been facing sustained scrutiny over development approvals, building permits and alleged irregularities within the planning chain.
His election follows controversy surrounding Palapala, who in July escaped an attempt to impeach him after the mover of the motion, Uthiru MCA Peter Maina, failed to appear before the committee to substantiate the allegations.
The committee subsequently declared the motion dead under the Assembly's Standing Orders.
Majiwa's arrival is therefore expected to place the committee under renewed public scrutiny, particularly over whether it can independently interrogate allegations surrounding the planning and development-control functions at City Hall.
The department has been the subject of investigations and court proceedings in recent months.
In July, the Court of Appeal sent back to the original bench a contempt application involving suspended Nairobi Urban Development CECM Patrick Analo.
The case arose from allegations by residents' groups that the county had failed to comply with court orders relating to urban planning and development approvals.
An investigation report by Amnesty Kenya also raised concerns about weaknesses in Nairobi's development approval system, citing procedural irregularities and approvals that appeared to have been issued outside the required statutory sequence.
The controversy is not entirely new.
In 2024, Majiwa himself was among MCAs who questioned the circumstances under which building approvals were discussed at a private Riverside office linked to the county executive.
The committee at the time sought details of building permits issued under Governor Johnson Sakaja's administration.
His election could therefore give the committee an opportunity to revisit some of the questions that have persisted around the planning department.
Speaking after his election, Majiwa pledged to strengthen the committee's oversight role and confront the challenges that have undermined public confidence in the department.
He is expected to push for closer scrutiny of development approvals, planning enforcement, building permits, public land and compliance with approved development plans.
The committee will also face the task of determining whether officers responsible for planning decisions are operating within the law and whether existing systems provide adequate safeguards against abuse.
The spotlight on planning comes amid an ongoing EACC probe into alleged corruption within the department, including claims surrounding development approvals and building permits.
Meanwhile, Highrise MCA Kennedy Oyugi has retained the chairmanship of the Water and Sanitation Committee, with nominated MCA Asli Mohamed taking the vice-chairperson's position.
Oyugi has considerable experience in the docket, having previously chaired the Water Committee.
His committee is expected to remain under pressure over water shortages, inequitable distribution, infrastructure expansion, the financial health of Nairobi Water and the reliability of water services across informal settlements and other underserved parts of the city.
Mountain View MCA Maurice Ochieng has also retained the leadership of the Health Committee, giving the sector continuity as the Assembly continues to scrutinise healthcare spending, staffing, medicines, equipment and the performance of county health facilities.
The reconstitution also saw nominated MCA Perpeture Mbonjiwa retain the chairmanship of the Education Committee, with Gatina MCA Kennedy Swaka elected as her deputy.
Mbonjiwa's return gives her another opportunity to steer oversight of one of the most important social sectors in Nairobi.
The changes come against the backdrop of a broader effort by Speaker Kennedy Ng'ondi to position the Assembly as a stronger oversight institution.
Ng'ondi has previously taken a direct role in major oversight assignments.
