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.