The Senate is expected to hold its final sitting on June 21 at 10 a.m. and then adjourn indefinitely.
Outgoing senators from the 12th Parliament took the oath of office on August 31, 2017, promising a smooth ride because the majority outnumbered the minority by a large margin.
Parties affiliated with the defunct National Super Alliance (NASA) – ODM, Wiper, Ford Kenya, and ANC – secured 18 seats in the 47 counties, while the ruling Jubilee Party received 24.
Kanu had two elected senators, while the Party for Development and Reforms (PDR), Chama Cha Uzalendo, and an independent member each had one.
While the Senate had 20 nomination slots available, Jubilee received ten, ODM seven, and the ANC, Wiper, and Kanu each received one.
The House, on the other hand, began to sway days after the infamous March 9, 2018 handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and then-opposition leader Raila Odinga of the ODM.
The handshake was blamed for the subsequent leadership changes, as those already in place were removed and replaced in contentious debates, some of which resulted in legal battles.
After Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula, a NASA co-principal was deposed as Minority Leader, the opposition became the first casualty.
A March 15, 2018 debate on his removal received support from 20 of the 27 NASA senators.
However, the decision was put on hold until the following week, when it was upheld at a NASA Senate Parliamentary Group meeting in which he was replaced by Senator Orengo (Siaya).
Wetang’ula reacted angrily to Raila’s announcement that NASA would hold a retreat to discuss the matter.
Jubilee Purge
The purge and reorganization of the House leadership did not end there. Following infighting that saw the Jubilee Party split down the middle, the axe fell on the majority.
There was a group aligned with President Kenyatta (Kieleweke) and another aligned with Ruto (Tangatanga), which resulted in the president signing a post-election coalition agreement with Kanu and PDR.
Uhuru announced the removal of Senate leaders labelled as rebels at a Parliamentary Group meeting attended by Jubilee, Kanu, and PDR senators on March 10, 2020. (Tangatanga).
Kipchumba Murkomen (Elgeyo Marakwet) was replaced as Senate Majority Leader by Kanu’s Samuel Poghisio (West Pokot), who was deputized by PDR’s Fatuma Dullo (Isiolo).
Senator Susan Kihika (Nakuru) was replaced as Majority Chief Whip by Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata (Jubilee), who was deputised by the party’s nominated senator Haji Farhiya Ali.
DCI Subaru ‘Madness’
On the morning of 17th August 2020, hours before Senators were to vote on a Revenue bill, police officers camped at the homes of three senators at their residences.
Bomet Senator Christopher Langat was arrested among three senators whose homes were surrounded by police officers who demanded their arrest in the early hours of that Monday morning.
Senator Cleopas Malala (Kakamega) and Steve Lelegwe were the other two, in addition to Langat (Samburu). The trio were accused of inciting violence.
Kang’ata Wa Barua
Senator Kang’ata met the same fate as his predecessor in January 2021 after writing to the president about the unpopularity of the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
Although the letter was largely dismissed, Kang’ata later admitted its authenticity and apologized to Uhuru in a January 4 tweet.
Kang’ata found himself in Kihika’s shoes in January 2022, when he was officially removed from the post and replaced by Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi.
