Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday, May 11, lost his position as the Senate Majority Leader following a high-stakes meeting at State House.
Murkomen was replaced by West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio, a member of the Kenya African National Union (KANU), in a decision that was arrived a day after Kanu and Jubilee Party signed a post-election coalition agreement.
Murang'a Senator Irungu Kang'ata was picked as the Majority Whip, a position previously held by his Nakuru counterpart Susan Kihika
Senator Fatuma Dullo retained her Deputy Majority Leader position at the Senate following the Jubilee Senate Parliamentary Group Meeting that was snubbed by Deputy President William Ruto allies.
It was also decided that Wajir Nominated Senator Haji Farhiya Ali would deputise Kang'ata.
A report by KTN News indicated that Deputy President William Ruto and his allies Murkomen and Aaron Cheruiyot skipped the meeting convened by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Porghisio was reportedly angling to replace Murkomen alongside Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja with earlier reports indicating the Kanu party leader Gideon Moi would have been chosen for the position that was given to his party member.
These changes came a day after the Jubilee Party signed a post-election coalition agreement with KANU which was deposited at the Registrar of Political Parties on May 4.
This allowed KANU legislators to sit in committees, bolstering Jubilee Party's strength in Parliament as well attend Jubilee Parliamentary Group meetings, such as the Senate PG meeting that resolved to oust Murkomen.
In an earlier phone call with Kenyans.co.ke, Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju had explained that the reason only senators were allowed to attend the meeting was that they were mandated to handle issues on devolved units.
He had explained that the meeting was aimed at addressing the transfer of functions from the County Government of Nairobi to the national government and the resultant stalemate.
The apaprent decision on the stalemate with City Hall was yet to be announced by the time of going to press.
"You know, the invite came from the President so I cannot purport to be dictating the agenda. But one thing I know will be up for discussion is the situation in Nairobi County which as you know has had a lot of problems.
"This is why you have only Senators being invited as opposed to members of the National Assembly," he stated at the time.
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