ODM leader Raila Odinga reportedly held a meeting with top senate leaders to drum up support for Uasin Gishu Senator Margret Kamar for the Senate Deputy Speaker seat.
It is alleged that Raila held a meeting with Samuel Poghisio (Majority Leader), James Orengo (Minority Leader), Irungu Kangata (Majority Whip), Fatuma Dullo (Deputy Majority Leader) and Beatrice Kwamboka (Deputy Minority Whip), asking them to support Kamar.
Raila supported Kamar in the hope that she would fill up the North Rift region's gap left after the removal of Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen as Majority leader.
In addition, the former Prime Minister asked the senate leadership to lobby their support for Kamar based on her gender as a show of inclusivity.
"Ms. Kamar is the right choice because she is a lady and very educated and that she has great experience having served in the Speaker’s Panel in the 10th Parliament and now in the Senate,” a source, who talked to Nation stated.
The ODM leader alleged that so far, Kang'ata had worked well as the majority whip, hence, the Mt.Kenya region was well represented.
When Kenyans.co.ke contacted Kang'ata for a comment, he was evasive but maintained that Jubilee party would be supporting Kamar.
"I mobilised for her support and we won without any opposition because my party believes in women empowerment and she is very competent," he stated.
The other senators who had expressed interest in the seat including; Charles Reubenson Kibiru (Kirinyaga), Stewart Mwachiru Madzayo (Kilifi), Isaac Mwaura (nominated), and Judith Pareno (nominated), all backed down in support of Kamar.
"Jubilee majority whip has endorsed Margaret Kamar as the Jubilee candidate, this has been predicated upon the gender idea. When the party does so, we have no option but to support, we will toe the party line," Mwaura stated during a Citizen TV interview on Tuesday.
Kamar battled it out with nominated senator Judith Pareno on Tuesday and emerged the winner.
