By John Mutiso
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has claimed that six staff members who were attached to his office have lost their jobs following his removal as Senate Majority Whip.
Speaking on Sunday, November 7, he explained that the staff depended on the Majority Whip’s office and were released immediately after he exited the position.
“The office includes support staff, so they have run out of a job. I have a personal assistant, I have a principal research officer, I have got a secretary, I have got an office assistant, I have got an office messenger, and I have got a driver. So six young people have lost their jobs,” he said.
Khalwale clarified that the affected individuals are hired by the Parliamentary Service Commission and their departure was the result of normal parliamentary procedure.
“They are employed by the Parliamentary Service Commission; it is nothing personal because the guy who took over from me comes in with his own staff,” he added.
Khalwale was removed as the Senate Majority Whip on Tuesday, December 2.
Speaker Amason Kingi informed senators that he had received official communication from the Majority Party notifying the House of the replacement.
With the change taking effect immediately, Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli has been picked to replace Khalwale.
“I have received and verified a correspondence received from the Senate Majority Leader informing the House that the Majority Party has effected a change in office of the Senate Majority Whip. The new office holder will be Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli,” Kingi said.
The move, viewed as a disciplinary measure, follows Khalwale’s opposition to UDA’s David Ndakwa in the recently concluded Malava by-election.
Ndakwa won the November 27 by-election with 21,564 votes, narrowly defeating DAP-K’s Seth Panyako who secured 20,210 votes.
In the aftermath of the poll, Khalwale rejected the election outcome, describing the exercise as fundamentally flawed.
He alleged that violence, intimidation, and vote-buying marred the electoral process, making it impossible to consider the results legitimate.
“The killings, widespread violence, roaming armed goons escorted by police, intimidation and voter bribery that reigned in Malava Constituency erased any claim to a democratic election,” he stated.
Khalwale went further, asserting there had been no credible election at all, while expressing optimism about growing political consciousness in the region.
He also raised an alarm about what he characterized as cooperation between criminal elements and security forces during the voting exercise.
“With 2027 fast approaching, Kenyans must be concerned about the emergence of connivance between goons and the police in our electoral process,” he warned.
