The Hon. James Opiyo Wandayi, EGH, MP, is a former Leader of the Minority Party in the National Assembly. He resigned while serving his third consecutive term as the Member of Parliament for Ugunja Constituency, having been elected to Parliament for the first time in 2013. He was nominated His Excellency the President as the Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum on 23rd July 2024. He was formally sworn in as Cabinet Secretary, Energy and Petroleum on 8th August 2024.

The Hon. Wandayi is a social democrat and firm believer in equity and fairness in the management of private and public affairs. He is a member of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), where he has held the position of Secretary for Political Affairs since 2014. He also serves as the Second Deputy Secretary-General of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party.

The Hon. Wandayi served as the Chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for five years in the 12th Parliament (2017 - 2022).  During his tenure, he provided leadership to the premier parliamentary watchdog committee in interrogating use of public funds by the National Government, the Judiciary, Constitutional Commissions and Independent Offices. He played a crucial role in public sector accountability with regard to government financial operations by ensuring value for money for Government Projects, Programs and Service Delivery. 

During the same period, the Hon. Wandayi also served as the Secretary-General of the African Organization of Public Accounts Committees (AFROPAC), a Pan-African institution that advocates for accountability and good governance.

In recognition of his outstanding work and contribution to the country, he has been awarded the 1st Class Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (C.B.S); Moran of the Order of the Golden Heart (M.G.H) and most recently, the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H).

Prior to joining elective politics, the Hon. Wandayi had acquired extensive experience in strategic and operational management and people leadership within a multinational business environment. Between 1998 and 2012, he held core management positions in the private sector within and outside Kenya – the last being Leaf Business Sustainability Manager, responsible for Uganda and DRC at British American Tobacco. In these roles, he developed and implemented excellent communication and engagement strategies with governments, the media and other stakeholders for successful execution of business plans. He also provided leadership to teams of people of diverse backgrounds and orientation to consistently deliver on key business objectives.

The Hon. Wandayi is an alumnus of the University of Nairobi (UoN) where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, specializing in Agricultural Economics in 1996. In addition, the Hon. Wandayi holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and a Diploma in Business Management from the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM). He has recently obtained a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Daystar University.

 @_AlexKamauWachira

Alex Kamau Wachira - Principal Secretary

The Principal Secretary joins the State Department for Energy with a wealth of experience from the private sector where he worked variously as an investment banker. His latest assignment was with Faida Investment Bank where he traded and structured Treasury bonds and Corporate bonds at the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE). Other assignments include working with Dyer & Blair Investment Bank and Genghis Capital limited in the same capacity.

PS Wachira has served in various leadership’s positions right from his university days. He was a founding member of the Bonds Market Association as well as a member of the Steering Committee of the Kenya Association of Stock Brokers and Investment Bankers (KASIB). His contribution to the Bond’s market saw him being appointed to the Central Depository Project at the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK). In 2021, the project dealt in government securities worth 900 billion, the highest turnover ever in Kenya.

The PS launched his career in the financial sector after participating in the issuance of the Safaricom IPO in 2008 where he interned. He had prior completed a Bsc Degree course from the University of Nairobi. At Campus, he served as the Secretary General NUNSA and Treasurer for the Confederation of Medical Students Association. He is currently pursuing an MA in Leadership at Pan African Christian University.

A strong believer in servant leadership through community engagement and development, in that position, the PS was able to spearhead initiatives such, as free medical camps for Cancer Screening, Tree planting, Youth Mentorship Programmes, and Sports Tournaments among others. Born and bred in Kieni Constituency, Nyeri County, the PS is a family man who’s strict up bringing is instrumental in shaping him into the person he is.