It’s a battle of the wills between the country’s two leading political formations as lawmakers head to Parliament to elect House Speakers in Parliament’s first sitting Thursday.
President-elect William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance has two candidates vying for Senate Speaker, while opposition leader Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party also has two eyeing the Speaker’s post in the National Assembly.
With the rival coalitions locked in a close contest with Kenya Kwanza having a slim majority in both Houses, the two camps must hammer out a compromise to avoid splitting their votes. None of the coalitions is capable of winning the vote in the first round, which requires a two-thirds majority. This means that the contest will be settled in the second round in which the winner requires a simple majority.
While Kenya Kwanza has fronted Ford Kenya leader Moses Wetang’ula for the National Assembly Speaker’s post, Azimio has both Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and former National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende. However, a list published by National Assembly on Wednesday morning did not include Mr Musyoka and Mr Wetangula's names.
Mr Wetang’ula has an upper hand should Kenya Kwanza, which politically has more MPs, vote as a block.
Yesterday, Mr Wetang’ula exuded confidence that the seat is his for the taking.
“I am going for this seat because I have been tested and proven. I urge all MPs in the House to support my bid so that we can travel this journey together for a better legislature and a prosperous Kenya,” said the Bungoma Senator-elect, who will, however, forego swearing-in at the Senate to be eligible for the contest.
The constitution ranks the Speaker of the National Assembly as the third in command after the President and his deputy.
Mr Musyoka and Mr Marende have picked nomination forms for the Speaker’s position for both the Senate and National Assembly.
All the candidates are expected to return their papers, accompanied by at least 20 signatures from MPs supporting their bids, by 2:30pm today.
To be elected Speaker of the National Assembly, one requires two-thirds support of 349 MPs (233).
If no candidate secures this threshold, the vote goes to a second round and the candidate who garners a simple majority is declared the winner.
In the Senate Speaker’s race, Kenya Kwanza has two candidates as former Kilifi governor Amason Kingi and Mr Hassan Omar, who lost in this year’s Mombasa’s governor’s election, have all picked the nomination forms.
Sources within the President-elect’s team indicate that Mr Kingi is likely to be the sole candidate for Kenya Kwanza as the coalition is set for a meeting today to settle on its final line up ahead of tomorrow’s election.
“I believe I have all it takes to be the Speaker of the Senate,” said Mr Kingi, a lawyer and leader of Pamoja African Alliance (PAA).
Mr Kingi, a two-term Kilifi governor, was Tuesday lobbying senators at Parliament Building.
Kenya Kwanza will also be forced to make a decision on who it will front for the position of Senate Deputy Speaker.
Uasin Gishu Woman Representative Gladys Shollei, MPs Moses Kirima (Imenti Central) and Gichimo Githinji (Gichugu) were eyeing the seat. They will face-off with Azimio’s Mr Farah Maalim (Dadaab) and Mr Otiende Amolo (Rarieda).
“I have collected enough signatures and I’m confident of clinching it,” Ms Shollei said.
Sources within Azimio indicate that Mr Marende is likely to be implored in Wednesday’s coalition meeting to go for the Senate post in order for Mr Musyoka to face off with Mr Wetang’ula.
Banking on his experience
Mr Marende is banking on his experience as the Speaker of the National Assembly during the 10th parliament.
“I can assure you that I am in the race for Speaker of the Senate position and I am determined that I will win,” said Mr Marende.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi confirmed that Mr Marende will be the Azimio candidate for the Senate Speaker’s position.
“Our candidate is Mr Marende. We are lobbying and talking to members from the other side to vote for him. We will intensify our lobbying today during the pre-swearing ceremony,” Mr Osotsi told the Nation.
Sirisia MP John Waluke said Jubilee Party in their Parliamentary Group meeting yesterday resolved to support Mr Marende for the National Assembly Speaker’s post.
“In our meeting as Jubilee, the majority were supporting Marende, he is the only candidate who can beat Wetang’ula. He is experienced and had served as Speaker before,” Mr Waluke said.
In its Parliamentary Group meeting yesterday, Wiper Democratic Movement endorsed Mr Musyoka for the National Assembly Speaker’s post.
Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu confirmed that they had an internal meeting to review their performance in the just concluded General Election but the Speaker’s election also came up.
“My party leader has picked forms for both Houses but as his troops, we want him to go for the position of the Speaker at the National Assembly but we will be okay with whatever seat that Azimio will support him for,” Dr Mulu said.
Those within Azimio pushing for Mr Musyoka are persuaded his candidature will be acceptable to other MPs from Kenya Kwanza as he is seen to be moderate and diplomatic.
However, Kimilili MP Didmas Barasa dismissed Mr Musyoka’s candidature, saying, they will vote for Mr Wetang’ula tomorrow.
“We cannot support Kalonzo, we have our interest as Kenya Kwanza and we believe that he will sabotage us. Mr Wetang’ula is decisive and participated in crafting our economic agenda and he is therefore best suited to help us achieve our goal,” Mr Barasa said.
He revealed that Kenya Kwanza has also settled on Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa as the Majority Leader in the National Assembly with his deputy being Kilifi North MP Owen Baya.
Mr Baya Tuesday confirmed that he was told to deputise Mr Ichung’wah although he said he was interested in the Whip position.
“Boss [Dr Ruto] told me to work with Ichung’wah, so let’s wait for tomorrow,” Mr Baya told the Nation.
Ugunja MP elect Opiyo Wandayi said they will settle on one candidate today between Mr Marende and Mr Musyoka to avoid dividing Azimio votes tomorrow.
This comes as the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) yesterday held a Parliamentary Group meeting to discuss internal matters, including the sharing of other parliamentary leadership positions.
However, 15 other fringe candidates have also expressed interest in the Speaker’s position.
Others eyeing the National Assembly Speaker’s post are Kenya Kwanza leaning Waihige Mwaure, who contested in the presidential election, and Ms Dorothy Kerubo.
Also jostling for the Senate Speaker’s job are former nominated senator Isaac Mwaura, Mr Issac Aluoch, Mr Jared Oluoch, Mr George Bush, Dr Manana Rodgers, and Ms Beatrice Kathani.
The deadline for the submission of the nomination papers for the Speaker and deputy speaker positions is this afternoon.
“Any person who is eligible for election as Speaker or as Deputy Speaker of the Senate in terms of the constitution and who is interested in contesting for these positions is advised to collect nomination papers from the office of the clerk and return them before the deadline,” Mr Jeremiah Nyegenye, the clerk of the Senate, said.
Mr Nyegenye noted that the completed nomination papers, together with the curricula vitae of each candidate and the relevant supporting documents “should be returned to the office of the clerk of the Senate not later than tomorrow.”
Individuals seeking to be Speakers of the two Houses must have the qualifications of an MP but must not be elected MPs in either of the two Houses.
They must also attach to their nomination papers when returning them, a letter from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Committion (IEBC) indicating that they are not elected MPs.
Although the battle may be determined by the strength of the coalitions in parliament, the conviction of the individual members cannot be gainsaid because the election of the two positions is by secret ballot, meaning that the party position may not matter as such.
As per the elections of August 9, Azimio has a slim majority in the National Assembly with 168 MPs against Kenya Kwanza’s 158 MPs.
The numbers are however, without the 12 nominated MPs in the House as the IEBC is yet to gazette them.
In the Senate, Kenya Kwanza has 24 Senators, Azimio 22 Senators with one Independent Senator, meaning that Kenya Kwanza is the majority coalition.
The IEBC is also yet to gazette the 20 nominated Senators, whose presence in the House is critical especially for the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker.
