The Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka has approved the changes made in the Jubilee Senate leadership.
During a stormy session on Tuesday May 12, 2020, Lusaka instituted the changes that have seen Samuel Poghisio replace Kipchumba Murkomen as the leader of the majority in the house with Nakuru senator Susan Kihika also losing her post as the majority whip.
“The minutes showed 20 senators attended the meeting and resolved unanimously to remove Murkomen as Majority leader, Susan Kihika as Majority Whip and subsequently elected Samuel Poghisio, Irungu Kang’ata and Haji Farhiya as Majority leader, whip and deputy whip respectively,” Lusaka said.
However, the Speaker’s decision did not go well with Murkomen who claimed that it was made under duress.
“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,” said Murkomen.
Read: Murkomen Ousted As Senate Majority Leader, Replaced By Kanu’s Samuel Poghisio
Further, he added, “Be it as it may, Mr Speaker, if finally you’ll disregard the law and make a decision that I am not going to be the Majority Leader in this house, what I can only say is that I want to thank my colleagues who voted for me, supported me throughout and who have continued having faith in me even amidst a lot of intimidation from the executive.”
In addition, Murkomen took a jibe at the Head of State who orchestrated his ouster and accused him of not being truthful to the house. He asked him to deliver the promises he had made including the oversight Fund that had been promised.
This comes just a day after the Jubilee Party parliamentary group held a meeting chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday, May 11, 2020.
Read Also: Murkomen, Kihika Vow To Stay Put, Claim There Is Plot To Forge Signatures Of Absent Senators
Kenyatta had called for the meeting against the backdrop of a KANU-Jubilee coalition post-election agreement.
The changes instituted were as follows:
1. Majority Leader – Sen. Samuel Poghisio, West Pokot County.
2. Majority Chief Whip – Sen. Irungu Kang’ata, Murang’a County.
3. Deputy Majority Leader – Sen. Fatuma Dullo Adan, Isiolo County.
4. Deputy Majority Chief Whip – Sen. Farhiya Ali Haji, Nominated Senator, Nairobi County.
Following the ouster of Murkomen, 22 senators allied to the Deputy President William Ruto termed the changes null and void on the grounds that the quorum needed was not met.
In a letter dated May 11 by Nakuru senator Susan Kihika, no vote as is required by the Standing Order was carried out.
“…that the requirements of the Standing Order 19 that makes it mandatory for more than a half of the senators to remove a majority leader or majority whip was not met,” she said.
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