Tharaka Nithi senator Kithure Kindiki has been axed as the senate deputy speaker.
54 Senators voted in support of Kindiki’s ouster while 7 voted against.
The reason for his ouster is mainly because he did not attend a Parliamentary Group meeting chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta on May 11 at State House.
The motion was moved by majority whip Irungu Kang’ata and was seconded by Makueni senator Kutuma Kilonzo Jnr.
“By not attending the State House meeting that was a Parliamentary Group meeting, the party lost confidence in the deputy speaker,” Kang’ata said while moving the motion.
Kindiki’s other mistake was when he ordered that a Senate committee investigate the transfer of functions from Nairobi county to the National government.
“The deputy speaker was forced to rescind his decision when the Minority Leader raised a point of order the following day. He did that knowing well that the President and the party leader is passionate about transferring functions to the national government,” Kang’ata added.
While addressing the house, Kindiki said that his accusers were not his fellow senators nor was it President Kenyatta.
“I want to make a disclaimer, the people who have accused me today, may it be known it’s not the President of Kenya neither is it any senator seated here including the mover of this motion,” an emotional Kindiki said.
He also noted that reasons for his ouster are unknown to him and therefore baseless.
Further he noted that the “system” will not intimidate him into joining a project meant to destroy the country.
He also said that he is being crucified for declining to commit treason.
“There are those who thought I could be cajoled into engaging in a treasonable act…Humility is not a sign of weakness,” he told the house.
The legislator did however note that he has forgiven his detractors adding that he has a lot of respect for his party leader, Kenyatta.
“However dark it gets, the sun of freedom will soon shine in Kenya… I rejoice in my tribulations… Harbouring hate would work in their favour. I forgive those who crucify me.”
But Kindiki stated with a lot of sadness that he wished Senate convened to discuss important matters like the COVID-19 pandemic that has so far killed 50 people, countrywide.
“I bow in shame to note that we are here today for such an elitist triviality powered by petty, divisive and vindictive politics as the country hurts from the lethal combination of a nearly collapsed economy, a ravaging pandemic, floods.
“How I wish this meeting, with the haste in which it was convened, was to discuss the millions who are living in poverty.”
Things heated up during the session between ousted majority leader Kipchumba Murkomen, minority leader James Orengo and speaker Ken Lusaka.
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