Jubilee, CORD battle for Speaker

By Felix Olick

KENYA: The two major coalitions are spoiling for a fight to clinch the Speaker’s position in the National Assembly and the Senate as the bicameral Parliament holds its first sitting this Thursday.

Three candidates have so far expressed interest for the Speaker of the Senate and seven for the National Assembly.

The contest is also likely to divide the Jubilee andCORD coalitions that have fronted competing candidates for the jobs.

URP, inside the Jubilee coalition, faces a dilemma over who to support for the Senate speaker after party chairman Francis ole Kaparo and former Turkana Central MP Ekwe Ethuro expressed interest for the seat. However, sources indicated the party is keen on backing Mr Ethuro, who lost in the Turkana Senate race. Also in the race is immediate former Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Farah Maalim, being fronted by Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s CORD coalition.

The Jubilee coalition has 29 seats in the Senate compared to CORD’s 27 and each side would need members from fringe parties to secure the Speaker and Deputy Speaker’s slots.

Amani Coalition members would therefore be crucial in the elections since Kanu and UDF have three seats each.

For the Speaker of the National Assembly, immediate former Speaker Kenneth Marende, former Mandera Central MP Abdikadir Mohammed and former Siakago MP Justin Muturi would battle for the job.

Others in the race are Harrison Mwangi, Mokoa Onjiri, Migundo Winja and Jacob Kithinji.

Marende said he was ready to do the job if fronted, and emphasised that he does not have to be elected by any particular coalition. It is not, however, clear who Jubilee would support between Mr Muturi and Mr Abdikadir.

Jubilee has 163 members in the National Assembly while CORD has 133.