The Wiper Party National Executive Council has convinced its party leader, Kalonzo Musyoka, to drop his bid for speaker of the National Assembly in fear of being humiliated at the elections set to be conducted on Thursday, September 8.
Notably, the council projected that the Azimio La Umoja Coalition will be outnumbered by Kenya Kwanza in both houses after more MPs decamped to the Ruto allied party.
In addition, the council urged Kalonzo to focus on building his brand after his preferred presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, failed to clinch the seat.
The former Vice President under the Azimio La Umoja Coalition had thrown himself in the race to face off Moses Wetangula from Kenya Kwanza Alliance for the speaker's seat.
Wetangula confirmed that he resigned as Bungoma senator-elect and submitted his letter to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).
Kalonzo had on Monday, September 5, reportedly picked both the National Assembly and Senate nomination papers, seeking to lobby elected members to support his bid in both houses.
However, the Raila-led coalition endorsed former National Assembly Speaker, Kenneth Marende, for the position of National Assembly Speaker.
"As Azimio coalition, we have decided to front Marende as our candidate for the National Assembly Speaker. We have decided to go for someone who has been tried and tested, someone who understands the operations of Parliament," Suna East MP-elect Junet Mohamed confirmed.
Marende also picked both nomination papers for the National Assembly and the Senate.
Other interested politicians challenging Marende include Dadaab Constituency MP-elect Farah Maalim, Noah Winja, Jared Oluoch, and Oundo, Gichugu MP-elect Robert Gichimu Githinji, and Isaac Aluoch Polo.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday, September 5, the gazetted the first parliamentary sitting scheduled for Thursday, September 8.
Members of parliament will elect the speakers for both the Senate and National Assembly after being sworn in.
