Newly elected senators are performing better than their more experienced counterparts one year after coming into office, a new poll has shown.
According to the survey by Infotrak Research and Consulting, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah is the best performing lawmaker in a list dominated by his first-term colleagues.
The poll, which ranked 25 MPs, put Senator Omtatah in first position with a performance rating of 59 per cent.
In what could be seen as a resounding approval for the newcomers, 16 out of 25 senators are first timers in the Senate.
The poll painted a gloomy picture for elected female senators, who performed poorly in the survey with the first woman ranked 11th. The CountyTrak Performance Index was conducted between July and September.
Mr Omtatah is followed by Kirinyaga’s James Murango, another first-term senator, who tied in second place with Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, who doubles up as majority leader, with a rating of 56 per cent.
The top 10 has a total of six first-term senators with little to separate Kenya Kwanza and Azimio senators, pointing to party politics having little effect on people’s perceptions.
Makueni’s Dan Maanzo is fourth with 52 per cent, John Methu of Nyandarua and Muranga’s Joe Nyutu, are tied for fifth with 51 per cent while Ltumbesi Lelegwe of Samburu and Kitui’s Enock Wambua are tied in seventh with 50 per cent.
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Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna and his West Pokot counterpart Julius Murgor round off the top 10 with a rating of 48 per cent. Lawmakers Cheruiyot, Lelegwe and Wambua are the only senators to have been elected more than once in the list.
According to the survey, Senator Omtatah, an ardent human rights activist who was elected Busia senator on the little-known National Reconstruction Alliance (NRA) party and who has carved a niche for himself as Kenya’s foremost litigator has been able to drag the county from position 42 in 2020 to first in 2023.
Nyandarua is the second most improved, having moved 40 places during the period under review while Kirinyaga is third, moving 39 places.
Nyamira (25 places), Lamu (23 places), Marsabit (19 places), Mandera (16 places), Tana River (14 paces), Kitui and Nyeri (11 places each) close the list of top 10 most improved counties.
Interestingly, the poll showed senators’ approval rating has been on a downward trend since 2015 where the top senator then, West Pokot’s John Lonyangapuo emerged top with a rating of 74 per cent.
He was followed by Mike Sonko (Nairobi) and Moses Wetang’ula (Bungoma) with 67 per cent rating. The two went on to become governor and National Assembly Speaker, respectively.
Mr Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet) and Mr Hassan Omar (Mombasa) who rounded off the top five with a 64 per cent rating would have still topped this year’s rating.
In 2020, Mutula Kilonzo Junior emerged the top senator with a rating of 66 per cent, followed by Mr Murkomen (59 per cent) and Mr Lelegwe (57 per cent).
Machakos Senator Agnes Kavindu leads female senators with a rating of 47 per cent followed by Isiolo’s Fatuma Dullo (46 per cent). Nakuru’s Tabitha Keroche, the other elected female senator in the House, does not appear in the top 25 list.
Senator Kavindu is tied at position 11 with eight other senators including Samson Cherargei (Nandi), Okong’o Omogeni (Nyamira), Godfrey Osotsi (Vihiga), Alexander Mundigi (Embu), William Kisang (Elgeyo Marakwet), Ali Roba (Mandera), Moses Kajwang’ (Homa Bay) and Mohamed Chute (Marsabit). Ms Dullo is tied with four other senators in position 21. They were Mr Hillary Sigei of Bomet, Mr Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu), Tharaka Nithi’s Mwenda Gataya and Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi, who doubles up as Deputy Speaker.
