Wetang’ula to Defend His Seat Despite Senate Speaker Slot Promise in Kenya Kwanza Alliance

Ford-Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula is set to defend his Bungoma senatorial seat in the August 9th elections despite being promised the Senate Speaker seat in the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Wetang’ula is among the 10 Senate aspirants nominated by the Ford-Kenya party to contest in the forthcoming elections, according to papers filed with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

Other Ford-Kenya Senate contenders include Joy Mukite (Kakamega), Moses Oguta Wanyama (Busia), Shalle Mohammed Issack (Garissa), Kennedy Okongo Mongare (Nyamira), Mohamed Jire Siyat (Tana River), Henry Ndiema (Trans-Nzoia), Daniel Gitau Kimani (Nakuru), Rachel Cherotich Ngeno (Kericho), and Celestina Mutave Mbasi (Machakos).

Wetang’ula’s Ford-Kenya party and Amani National Congress (ANC) of Musalia Mudavadi signed a coalition agreement with Deputy President William Ruto-led United Democratic Alliance (UDA) under the Kenya Kwanza Alliance.

Under the agreement, Wetang’ula will become the Senate Speaker while Mudavadi will be appointed Chief Cabinet Secretary if they win the August 9th elections. The two will also control 30 percent of the government.

However, they are required to deliver 70 percent of the 2.2 million Western vote bloc, according to Tharaka Nithi Senator Prof. Kithure Kindiki who drafted the Kenya Kwanza Alliance coalition agreement.

“For Ford Kenya and ANC, it was decided that should we meet a certain threshold of votes where we have massive followings based on opinion polls and past elections, they can be assigned government responsibilities to certain percentage. It is correct that the duo has to deliver 70 percent of votes from Western. They would not have signed if they were uncomfortable with that requirement,” Kindiki said in an interview with Citizen TV recently.