Why President Uhuru Kenyatta and Jubilee Team Abandoned former Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro

Details have emerged indicating why President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto whipped Jubilee Senators to abandon former Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro and support former Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka.

According to Political analysts and opposition Senators, Mr Ethuro fell out of favour with the party and its leadership for his questionable loyalty.

Dr Philip Chebunet, a political science lecturer at the University of Eldoret, explained that  Ethuro had failed the loyalty test and that is why Jubilee ditched him.

The lecturer further attributed the dumping of Ethuro to his elusiveness and "not being fit in the competitive political environment of the first modern Senate".

“Although he demonstrated neutrality during his tenure, there was a need for Jubilee to change strategy and go for a more aggressive leadership in the Senate in the prevailing political environment,” Chebunet stated.

Patu Naikumi, a political science lecturer at Maasai Mara University, however, submitted that Ethuro's rejection was because he was seen to be reluctant to campaign for Jubilee and was not keen to push Jubilee’s agenda in the Senate.

"His refusal to support Jubilee in his Turkana backyard, where the Opposition carried the day, caused party mandarins to conclude he was a National Super Alliance (NASA) sympathiser,” Naikumi stated.

The lecturer further noted that unlike his National Assembly colleague, Justin Muturi, who supported Jubilee openly,  Ethuro was a fence sitter during the campaigns, allowing the Opposition to take full control of Turkana.

“He was missing in action when he was needed most. He even indicated that he would not take sides. That has cost him dearly,” said Naikumi.

Kericho Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, however, noted that the decision to remove Ethuro was arrived at after a consensus

Some of the decisions that reportedly cost Ethuro his place include; a decision on amending of the controversial electoral rule to pave the way for a manual vote tallying backup system and failure to send away opposition Senators who heckled Uhuru last year as he addressed a joint sitting of the Senate and National Assembly. 

Meanwhile, former Bungoma Governor Lusaka was elected as the new Senate speaker with 42 votes beating former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Farah Maalim who got 25 votes.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Lusaka pleaded with senators to adopt a bipartisan and collegiate leadership that will transform and invigorate the House to embrace various political interests represented in the 12th Parliament and ensure they find their rightful space.