Former Makadara MP Benson Mutura has been elected as the new Speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly.
Mutura captured the prestigious seat on Friday after garnering 99 votes with his five opponents failing to get any votes.
His rivals included Abdi Ali Abdi, Ken Ng’ondi, Washington Makodingo, Allan Chacha Mang’era, and Mike Obonyo Guoro.
Both Jubilee Party and Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) had endorsed Mutura’s candidature ahead of the election.
ODM MCAs threw their support behind Mutura during a meeting on Friday morning, saying their party will go for the deputy speaker seat in the spirit of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
Jubilee secretary-general Raphael Tuju announced the endorsement of Mutura during a meeting with its MCAs at the party’s headquarters on Thursday.
Mutura takes over from Beatrice Elachi who announced her resignation on Tuesday citing threats to her life and frustrations from Governor Mike Sonko.
“For the last few days, there have been life-threatening incidences. I did not have to wait to see somebody die in this office. I’m a mother,” she said.
Elachi’s reign at City Hall was marked with constant flights with MCAs and had been impeached in 2018 before a court reinstated her.
Until her stepping down, a section of MCAs was pushing for her impeachment over allegations of abuse of office, misuse of public funds, and interfering with the county procurement, among others.
