Prof Kindiki axed as Senate Deputy Speaker
Senate Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki was on Friday ousted after a heated debate.
Out of the total 67 senators, 54 voted to kick out the deputy speaker who they accused of party disloyalty and disrespect to the party leader.
At least 26 of senators from the minority side voted in favour of his removal. Only two, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula and Judith Pareno (nominated) did not cast their votes because they were not in the House.
However, Mr Wetangula, who is on a mandatory quarantine after his brother died of Covid19, expressed his support for the removal in a message to Minority leader James Orengo
Seven senators voted to save Prof Kindiki, a far cry from the tussle of numbers that the pro-Ruto allies have always touted. They were Kipchumba Murkomen, Aaron Cheruiyot, Christopher Langat, Susan Kihika, John Kinyua, Samson Cherargey and Kindiki himself
When he took the floor, Prof Kindiki rejected claims that he has been disloyal to the President insisting that he has been loyal both the party and President since he served as majority leader between and later as deputy speaker.
“The President, whom I am being accused to have disrespected should know that I have always and will forever respect him. I hold him in the highest esteem and veneration as the Leader of our Country and the symbol of the unity of our nation,” he said when he rose to speak.
Reading from a prepared speech, he said has faith in Mr Kenyatta as Leader of Jubilee Party and offered to support him loyally to the end of his administration as a matter of duty and choice.
“In my previous responsibility as Senate Majority Leader, I did my best to push government business in this House and to defend the President and his administration whenever they came under political attack,” he said.
With the victory, the President, and to extension, the handshake team, has reaffirmed its power over the Deputy President William Ruto and his Tangatanga and things could bloodier with reports yesterday that the President has summoned a Jubilee party PG for June 2 where it is expected similar changes will be undertaken.
Mr Orengo sentiments on the floor left no doubt that the tussle was not about Prof Kindiki but between President Kenyatta and his deputy, Ruto.
Mr Orengo, who constantly clashed with Murkomen about procedures on the motion, challenged the majority sides to decide on whether it wanted to support the President or his deputy.
“You must agree on whether you want to support the Caesar or the Rasputin,” he said referring to the two leaders. “The difference between the two is causing havoc and getting a solution is what will end what is happening.”
He told the house that the country has become dysfunctional because of the war between the President men and those of his deputy, arguing that the Nasa coalition had decided to side with Uhuru to save the republic.
“The Rasputin is holding an AK-47 and he has many messengers and agents as we can see in this House. You can’t have two generals in the field,” he said, and turning to Kindiki he said: “This is not your day. It is a bad act but for a good reason.”