It seems that Azimio has sensed defeat in the election of the speaker of the senate and has resolved to push for the suspension of the election despite the law dictating that the exercise should be done during the first sitting of the house after the general election.
The motion of the suspension was tabled by Homa bay Senator Moses Kajwang who said that the nominated senators were denied a chance to apply for deputy speaker position.
“I want to deal with that alongside article 98 of the constitution. All the 67 senators here are equal and have an equal right to vie for the deputy speakers of the senate. You will note the gazettement of the 20 nominated senators was done just yesterday, less than 48 hours to the election of the speaker,” Ojwang’ said.
According to him, by the time the nominated senators were brought to the house for induction, the period of applying for the deputy speaker position had already expired.Â
“Mr. Clerk, this is extremely important because the 20 nominated senators represent the marginalized in this country, and not only on this side Mr. Clerk, what I am raising cuts across the aisle. What I am raising is not a partisan objection, the nominated senators that are sitting in front of me had a right to apply for the deputy speaker of the senate,” he argued.
The order was backed by Narok senator Ledama ole Kina.
Objecting to the order, Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale said that it would be wrong for the senate to suspend the election adding that the exercise should just proceed and the election of deputy speaker to come later.
“Mr. Clerk it will be wrong for us to attempt to suspend the senate when this sitting is actually a special one, we have been invited here for a specific agenda and much as I am willing and many of us are willing to listen to your persuasion , you have to do it at the right time, let us proceed and elect the speaker and when the speaker is in the chair of the speaker, he will preside over the house and when the motion to elect the deputy speaker is moved, you are free then to stand in place and advance that,” Khalwale said
The Clerk, who is presiding over the election however dismissed Ojwang’s order. The move saw a section of Azimio senators walk out of the senate.
Azimio’s Kalonzo Musyoka is facing Kenya Kwanza’s Amason Kingi in the speaker race.
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