NAIROBI, Kenya May 22 – The Senate is set to convene Friday afternoon to discuss the ouster motion against Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki (Tharaka Nithi) sponsored by newly installed Majority Chief Whip Irungu Kang’ata (Murang’a).
Kithure who has been accused of being disloyal to the party faces the axe ostensibly after the leadership of the Jubilee Party leadership in the house whipped its members to support the ouster motion.
Kangata told the press on Thursday 48 Senators, including the membership of the Minority Coalition (NASA) had endorsed the motion, exuding confidence that the threshold for removal would be attained.
“We have the requisite numbers and members of the party have been instructed accordingly,” the Majority Whip said when he spoke to reporters at Parliament buildings.
He revealed that 26 Senators drawn from the Jubilee Party and 22 drawn from the National Super Alliance Coalition (NASA) had endorsed the ouster motion.
Kang’ata cited Kithure’s failure to attend a Senate Parliamentary Group meeting that was convened by President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairoibi as the reason for the censure motion. The Murang’a Senator did not table any other grounds for the removal of the Tharaka Nithi Senator from deputy speakership.
The ouster motion, according to a gazette notice by Speaker Ken Lusaka ,will be the only business to be debated on Friday.
Two thirds majority of the members of the House are required to have the motion passed. With the backing of 48 members, Kang’ata’s motion is expected sail through.
But even as the much-anticipated vote is being awaited for, Capital FM News has established that a section of Senators allied to Deputy President William Ruto are skimming to have the motion defeated by denying the House the requisite quorum.
Following the coronavirus pandemic in the country, the Senate resolved to have 28 members sit in the chamber in a bid to observe the social distancing directive. Speaker Ken Lusaka had advised members that in circumstances where the votes of members are needed they can communicate the same through their leaders.
“The Guidelines make it clear that the vote is cast by each Senator but communicated to the Senate by the leaders,” he said.
Kang’ata was clear during his communication on Thursday that the party would act decisively against errant members who will fail to rubber stamp the party’s wishes.
He stressed that the purge on the rebel members within the party will be sustained.
“The President has to be respected and the party wishes,” he said.
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