If This Is Punishment, So Be It - Crystal Asige Speaks After Removal From Senate Committee

Nominated Senator Crystal Asige has broken her silence after she was removed from the Senate Committee on Roads, Transport and Housing. 

In a statement on Thursday, July 30, Asige said the committee had been the platform through which she pushed for policies on accessible transport, sustainable cities and the implementation of disability rights.

"They removed me from the Senate Committee on Roads, Transport & Housing where I champion inclusive transport and mobility, sustainable cities, and accessibility in the built environment for the rights of over 8 million persons with disabilities as provided for in the PWD Act of 2025," she wrote.

Asige also defended her record in Parliament, saying she has consistently attended the House and carried out her responsibilities diligently despite the challenges posed by her disability.

"Every day, I come to this house diligently to do my job, to execute the business of those I was brought here to represent, and I do it well despite my disability," she added.

Asige concluded by saying she would not be discouraged by the latest developments, adding that even if her removal was meant to punish her, she believes difficult moments can ultimately lead to greater opportunities.

"If this is punishment by the leadership - so be it, but one thing that people ought to know is that God has a knack for turning a bad situation into a glorious occasion," she further said.

This comes a day after ODM Party also cracked the whip on its estranged Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and his Vihiga counterpart, Godfrey Osotsi.

In an update issued on Wednesday, July 29, ODM removed Sifuna from the powerful Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC) and sent him to the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

ODM replaced Sifuna with Kilifi Senator Stewart Madzayo. CPAC Chairperson Moses Kajwang' further nominated Senator Joseph Githuku to sit in the Committee.

On the other hand, Osotsi was removed as the chairperson of the Senate County Public Investments and Special Funds Committee and the Special Funds Committee. 

He was replaced by his Taita Taveta County counterpart Johnes Mwaruma.

Osotsi's ouster came after the Committee members held a vote of no confidence against him. They accused him of making decisions on behalf of the Committee without consulting his colleagues.

"As members of the committee, we felt we needed to address the conduct and the way the chairperson had been running the affairs of the committee. There is nothing much about politics. It was an opportunity for the committee to put its house in order," Nominated Senator Raphael Chimara said.