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Former Kilifi Governor Amason Jeffah Kingi has been elected the new Speaker of the Senate.
He garnered all the 46 votes cast to be declared the winner of the coveted seat after Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya coalition-allied Senators staged a walkout just before voting began.
Kingi, 46, took an oath of office following the voting exercise held during the Senate’s first sitting on Thursday.
He defeated six other candidate including Issac Aluochier, George Bush, Karuri Fredrick Muchiri, Kinyua Beatrice Gathomi and Kuria George Njoroge. Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka was also in the race but he dropped out at the last minute.
Just before the voting exercise kicked off, Senate clerk Jeremiah Nyegenye announced that Musyoka, who was being fronted by Azimio, pulled out of the race.
“A candidate may by written notice withdraw his or her candidature before the ballot is started. In this regard, I wish to draw the attention of the Senate to the fact that this morning, September 8, his excellency Stephen Musyoka withdrew his candidature for the position of Speaker of the Senate and his name will accordingly not be appearing in the ballot,” he said.
As a result, Senators allied the Azimio coalition walked out of the House, waving and blowing air kisses to their Kenya Kwanza Alliance counterparts.
Kingi, who is the leader of Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), served as the first governor for Kilifi County for two terms between 2013 and 2022. He previously represented Magarini constituency in the National Assembly from 2007 to 2013.