National Assembly Committee Turns Away NCIC Commissioners Over Poor Preparedness
However, instead of being led by the Commission’s Chief Executive Officer, as required, the NCIC sent two commissioners—Hon. Eng. Philip Okundi and Mr. Abdulaziz Ali Farah—to represent the institution.
The National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities chaired by Former Mandera South MP Adan Yussuf Haji. Photo/Parliament of Kenya.
By Robert Assad
The National Assembly Committee on Cohesion and Equal Opportunities, chaired by Adan Yussuf Haji, on Thursday, April 3, 2025, turned away a delegation from the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) after it failed to comply with the requirements set out in its official summons.
The incident unfolded during a scheduled meeting at Bunge Towers, where the committee was expecting a presentation from the NCIC regarding its peace initiatives and inter-community cohesion programs for the year 2025.
However, instead of being led by the Commission’s Chief Executive Officer, as required, the NCIC sent two commissioners—Hon. Eng. Philip Okundi and Mr. Abdulaziz Ali Farah—to represent the institution.
Committee Chair Adan Haji, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Mandera West, expressed strong disapproval over the absence of the NCIC CEO.
He emphasized that the summoning letter clearly outlined that the CEO was expected to appear before the committee and lead the presentation.
“Procedurally, it is the CEO who is supposed to make the presentation to the Committee as per the communication to the Commission inviting you to the meeting,” Hon. Haji stated firmly.
He added that the decision to send commissioners in place of the CEO was unacceptable for such a critical session.
“This is an important engagement about national peace and cohesion, and it is unjustifiable for the CEO not to attend. The committee will not accept submissions from anyone other than the designated official,” he said.
Following this, the committee officially ruled that the NCIC Commissioners be turned away and instructed to return on Tuesday next week, accompanied by the CEO, who must appear in person to fulfill the obligations of the meeting.
Despite the setback, Hon. Philip Okundi expressed his regret on behalf of the Commission and assured the committee of their compliance moving forward. “We apologize for the CEO’s absence. We will appear next week together with the CEO as directed,” he said.
The committee had convened the session to review NCIC’s roadmap for peacebuilding in 2025 and assess the status of inter-community cohesion efforts.
The postponement is expected to delay crucial discussions around strategies aimed at mitigating ethnic tensions and promoting unity across the country.
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