NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 20-The Kenya Kwanza Alliance has nominated Bungoma Senator-Elect Moses Wetangula for the Speaker’s position in the National Assembly.
The announcement was made Saturday during the post-election agreement signing ceremony between Kenya Kwanza Alliance and the United Democratic Movement (UDM) party that decamped from Azimio La Umoja.
“We have unanimously agreed to nominate Ford Kenya Leader Moses Masika Wetangula for the position of the speaker in the national assembly,” said ANC Leader Musalia Mudavadi.
Wetangula has already confirmed that he is ready to take up the post and would resign as Bungoma Senator to pave way for a by-election.
Wetangula said that the deal was bound by their Kenya Kwanza power-sharing agreement.
“I am going to be the third in command of the country. I pray to God that he gives me the wisdom to lead the National Assembly and coordinate well with the Senate. We will bring good laws to this country, advocate for pro-people budgets and ensure that Kenya will never be the same again,” he stated.
The coalition is banking on hopes that the Supreme Court will not nullify the victory of President-elect William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua due to the planned Supreme Court petition by Azimio’s Raila Odinga.
Ruto has been busy receiving new entrants to his Kenya Kwanza coalition, including candidates who won n independent tickets.
Ruto, who convened a Kenya Kwanza Alliance caucus on Wednesday, said ten of twelve independent lawmakers had pledged to back his alliance in the execution of parliamentary business.
The President-Elect is also banking on two parties affiliated with the rival Azimio Coalition — Alfred Mutua’s Chama Cha Maendeleo (MCC) and Amason Kingi’s Pamoja African Alliance (PAA) – with a cumulative six lawmakers to bolster its dominance.
MCC and PAA leaders stormed out of Azimio and have since contested an exit clause that binds them to the alliance until November 9.
The sixteen additional slots (10 independents and 6 MCC and PAA members) could increase Kenya Kwanza’s numerical strength in the House to 176.
The Raila Odinga-led Azimio outfit on the other hand has 155 lawmakers from affiliate parties excluding two independents who are yet to pick a side and with four parliamentary elections pending in Rongai, Pokot South, Kitui Rural and Kacheliba
With the battle to consolidate numbers still ongoing, Bungoma Senator and former Senate Minority Leader Moses Wetangula (Kenya Kwanza) and former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka (Azimio) have emerged as likely contenders for the House Speakership.
The party or coalition with a majority of legislators will have its way in the election of the Speaker.
