(KDRTV) – The race for the next Senate Deputy Speaker has started in earnest after Speaker Ken Lusaka gazetted the ouster of Kindiki Kithure.
54 Senators voted to impeach Kithure on Friday. Lusaka has now called on Members interested in the position to deposit their credentials with the Clerk of the House. The vote is set for Tuesday next week.
According to our sources, President Uhuru Kenyatta allies are working with their NASA counterparts to field one candidate for the position.
Minority Whip Mutula Kilonzo confirmed to a local daily that the talks are ongoing.
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“What we will avoid is outright competition. Ideally, we just need one candidate that we can all vote for at once,” Mutula said.
Further sources claim that Nominated Senator Judy Pareno could be fronted for the position. Though an ODM Member. Jubilee Senators may vote for her as a sign of goodwill with their new partners.
The purported removal of Prof. Kindiki is NOT based on competency, ability, capacity or intellect BUT based on political persecution, conmanship & witchhunt.its defeatist ,illegal, immoral, ungodly SAD @citizentvkenya @WaihigaMwaura #Newsnight
— senator kiprotich Arap cherargei (@scherargei) May 19, 2020
Despite being a member of the Speaker’s Panel, Pareno is also the chairperson of the ODM National Elections Board. She is believed to have earned the trust of ODM boss Raila Odinga.
Uasin Gishu Senator Margaret Kamar and her Nairobi counterpart Johnson Sakaja are said to have also been fronted for the position.
Despite coming from DP William Ruto’s backyard, Prof Kamar voted for Kindiki’s impeachment and also attended the State House Meeting which ratified the ouster of Kipchumba Murkomen and Susan Kihika. She could be rewarded for the unwavering loyalty.
