Hopes of fighting the ouster of Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen & Senate Majority Whip Susan Kihika were dashed on Tuesday after Speaker Kenneth Lusaka upheld the resolution booting the two from their leadership positions.
Lusaka in a communication to the house on Tuesday said he had received minutes that showed 20 Senators attended the State House meeting on Monday that recommended changes to the Jubilee Senate leadership.
“I am satisfied that the changes were made in accordance with the Senate Standing Orders 19 (1)(2)(3)(40)(50) and (7) and meets the threshold required under Standing Order 19(5) there having been a majority of votes,” he said.
Despite a spirited campaign by Deputy President’s camp to maintain the narrative that majority of legislators did not attend the meeting, Speaker Lusaka said he had also received a duly-signed list of Senators who attended the State House meeting while agreeing that the meeting met the threshold of the numbers required to pass resolutions as well as a certificate from the Registrar of Political Parties which confirmed the validity of a pre-election pact between the Jubilee Party and KANU.
Lusaka ratified the decision to install West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio and Irungu Kang’ata as Majority Leader and Majority Whip respectively.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Political Parties Disputes Resolution Tribunal had issued an interim order suspending the Jubilee-KANU coalition deal.
This after three Ruto allied legislators led by Soy MP Caleb Kositany and Albert Mutai (Jubilee Treasurer) petitioned the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal to throw out the leadership changes on grounds that the National Executive Committee (NEC) was yet to be convened.
A Notice of Motion had been pencilled in for May 21 before this deal breaker.
Senate
After Lusaka announced his stance, a furious Murkomen claimed that the Speaker had been beaten into submission and went ahead to accuse President Uhuru Kenyatta of being a”liar”.
“I want to say to the President… Now, therefore, deliver for the people of Kenya, Murkomen is out of the way. If I was your stumbling block, deliver for the people of Kenya,” Murkomen said.
“Mr Speaker, this is not your decision. You made this decision under duress and undue influence and I am sorry you had to do it. Thank you, Mr Speaker.” added Murkomen.
Lusaka, however, distanced himself from Murkomen’s claims stating the changes were effected in line with Standing Orders.
