Amason Kingi Elected Senate Speaker, Gets Deputy

UPDATE 2.06 pm: Meru Senator, Kathuri Murungi, has been elected unopposed as the Deputy Speaker of the Senate.

This is after Kilifi Senator Madzayo Stewart Mwachiru withdrew from the race for the Deputy Speaker of the Senate. Madzayo was elected under an ODM, an affiliate party of the Azimio La Umoja coalition.

Amason Jeffah Kingi of the Kenya Kwanza coalition has been elected as the Senate Speaker.

Kingi amassed 46 votes following an election exercise carried out on Thursday, September 8. NTV reported that at least 10 Azimio la Umoja senators voted for the Kenya Kwanza candidate (Taita, Lamu, Mombasa, Kilifi, Kwale, Garissa, Turkana, Busia, Isiolo, and Jubilee Nominated Senator Margaret Kamar).

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka had pulled out of the race at the last minute, blowing open an opportunity for the former Kilifi County governor to clinch the seat.

Kingi becomes the third Senate Speaker under the 2010 Constitution.

Former Kilifi governor, Amason Kingi. /FACEBOOK

"I am profoundly honoured and overwhelmed by the great honour and privilege you have bestowed upon me by electing me as your Speaker. I am touched by the immense confidence and trust you have placed in me.

"I, therefore, accept with humility and pledge that I shall perform to my utmost ability the constitutional responsibilities and duties of the office of the Senate Speaker for the next five years with diligence and decorum," he said in his inaugural speech.

The Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) party leader took advantage of the lead that the president-elect William Ruto-led alliance has in the Senate - 37 out of 67-including 26 elected (including UDM senators) and 11 nominated.

Other candidates who were in the race included George Bush, Isaac Aluochier Polo, George Njoroge Kuria, Beatrice Kathomi, and Fredrick Karuri Muchiri.

The senators, both elected and nominated, first took the oath of office before electing the speaker, in accordance with the Standing Orders. The election was through a secret ballot.

Kalonzo's withdrawal was met with hostility as Azimio senators walked out of the Senate.

"There a lot of things that need to be done for us to conduct a proper process. Some of our colleagues raised serious concerns and it would have been important for them to be cleared. We need to school members to read their coalition agreement and other matters.

"Former Bungoma senator-elect, Moses Wetangula, resigned (to run for National Assembly speaker) and now we are tied at 23 senators each for Kenya Kwanza and Azimio La Umoja and we need to address that issue,"  Narok Senator, Ledama ole Kina said while leading the exit charge.

He also raised issues with the United Democratic Movement (UDM) senators sitting on the same side as those elected under Kenya Kwanza affiliate parties. UDM, under Mandera senator, Ali Roba, was poached by Kenya Kwanza.

"There are two issues which are not clear to the UDM members. There is no way they can cross to the other side of the aisle until after three months after which they should give a 90-day notice," he lamented.

Homa Bay Senator Moses Kajwang had led calls to have the Senate suspend the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker, arguing that the nominees were gazetted 48 hours before the sitting, thus the nominated members did not have a chance to contest the seat.