For the second day running, President Uhuru Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga seem to have lost control of the Senate after allies of the Deputy President William Ruto orchestrated another coup to win the key position in the House committees.
During the Wednesday’s elections to elect the chairperson of the Committee on Delegated Legislation, the incumbent West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio (KANU) was defeated by a newcomer to the committee, Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni (ODM).
Omogeni garnered five votes against Poghisio’s four votes.
The vice-chairman position went to Machakos Senator Boniface Kabaka (CCU), who won the seat with five votes against nominated Senator Farhiya Ali’s (Jubilee) four votes.
Although Senators Kabaka and Omogeni belong to the National Super Alliance (Nasa) they are perceived to be moderates as they don’t expressly belong to either DP Ruto’s Tangatanga team or pro-handshake alliance of Kieleweke.
The election of Nyamira senator to chair the lucrative committee of the House now dashes hope for Senate Minority Leader James Orengo who had threatened to withdraw members of the Nasa coalition in the House watchdog committee of County Public and Investment Committee (CPAIC), after Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina was elected chair against the wishes of his Orange party.
Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri was the party’s choice for the chairman position.
Ole Kina can now sit pretty as he will not be stripped his position as Senator Omogeni comes from the same region with Senator Ongeri who is being fronted by ODM party.
Sources who spoke in confidence told People daily that DP’s allies in the Senate have been planning to upset the Uhuru-Raila-Gideon alliance which has been domineering in the house since the March 9, handshake between President Kenyatta and his political nemesis ODM’s Raila.
In both House committee elections, there was a dominant figure that was allegedly under firm instructions from Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen to trouble the Uhuru-Raila team, which is nominated Senator Milicent Omanga.
Senator Omanga, unlike other members in the CPAIC, she is also a member of the Committee on Delegated Legislation.
While in CPAIC elections, Senator Omanga proposed his Narok counterpart Ledama Ole Kina to be the chairperson to the annoyance of her kinsman Kisii Senator Sam Ongeri, who lost the seat.
Omanga returned “favour” to his Kisii community by seconding the candidature of Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni, who went ahead to win the seat by Omanga’s solitary vote.
An impeccable source privy with the goings-on revealed that ODM leader had on Tuesday and early Wednesday reached to members to push for the election of Gideon Moi’s candidate Samuel Poghisio and nominated Senator Farhiya Ali, a key member of the Kieleweke team.
Senators Victor Prengei (Nominated), Phillip Mpaayei (Kajiado), Millicent Omanga (nominated) are members of Jubilee Party alongside Poghisio and Farhiya.
While Senators Judith Pareno (nominated), Boniface Kabaka (Machakos), Mohammed Faki (Mombasa) senator Omogeni are members of Nasa.
Murkomen, who is the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator has been credited for the changes in the House leadership as he was working with Tanga Tanga members in the Committee to support different candidates – Senators Ledama Ole Kina (ODM), Okong’o Mogeni (Nyamira) and Boniface Mutinda (Machakos), who ultimately won against the wishes of their parties.
Congratulations Senators Okong’o Omogeni and Boniface Kabaka on your election as chair and vice chair of the Committee on Delegated Legislation. You have my full support. Please Senator Orengo and Mutula don’t de-whip them,” Murkomen wrote on Twitter.
However, majority of the members who spoke in confidence for fear of reprisal said the Nyamira Senator was picked because he is independent-minded and not a sycophant.
“His election was also deliberate because it substitutes for the defeat that Senator Ongeri faced in the hands of Tanga Tanga on Monday. This way the people of South Nyanza still win,” said the source alleged.
“Murkomen has been at the heart of the revolts as he seeks to protect Deputy President William Ruto’s numerical advantage and overwhelming influence in the Senate,” he further stated.
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