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Member of Parliament, Kanduyi
Born
1972(54 yrs)
Region
Bungoma
Constituency
Kanduyi
Public Views
Experience
Documented career positions
John Okwisia Makali (born 1972) is a Kenyan lawyer and politician serving as the Member of Parliament for Kanduyi Constituency in Bungoma County. He was elected in the 2022 general election on a Ford–Kenya ticket, defeating long-serving Kanduyi MP and DAP–K party leader Wafula Wamunyinyi. His election restored the seat to Ford–Kenya and aligned Kanduyi more firmly with the Moses Wetang’ula–led Kenya Kwanza axis in Bungoma politics.  Makali is a senior advocate by training and former first Speaker of the Bungoma County Assembly (2013–2017), where he presided over the formative years of devolution in the county. Before that, he built a private-practice career as founding partner at J.O. Makali & Company Advocates and previously worked at Wetang’ula & Company Advocates. In the 13th Parliament he sits under the Ford–Kenya banner and has been active on legal and governance matters, including work in the Justice & Legal Affairs Committee and Implementation Committee.
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Kanduyi MP, 13th Parliament (2022–present): Elected MP for Kanduyi in 2022, unseating DAP–K leader Wafula Wamunyinyi and strengthening Ford–Kenya’s dominance in Bungoma.
Founding Speaker of Bungoma County Assembly (2013–2017): Served as the first Speaker during the initial devolution cycle, presiding over the creation of standing orders, early county legislation and institutional structures.
Judiciary–Parliament tensions (2025 remarks): Attracted debate after publicly warning that courts should not “stop Parliament from doing its duties,” a comment reported in the context of growing friction between the Judiciary and Legislature.
Constituency performance debates: Local Facebook groups and commentary occasionally criticise him over perceived absences or unmet expectations, with posts accusing him of being “development-light” or insufficiently present—common performance narratives around sitting MPs rather than documented misconduct.
Political alignment under Kenya Kwanza: As a Ford–Kenya MP closely associated with Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, his support for government positions has drawn criticism from some opposition-leaning constituents who expected a more confrontational stance toward the executive.
Legislative work on procurement reform: Credited by Mzalendo with introducing the Procurement (Amendment) Bill, 2023, seeking to reduce reliance on costly print-media advertisements in favour of digital platforms, framed as a cost-saving and transparency move.
Active parliamentary contributor and education advocate: Ranked among higher-contributing MPs in 2024 Hansard statistics and frequently highlighted in local media for NG-CDF investments in bursaries and school infrastructure across Kanduyi.
