Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula has been elected as the new National Assembly Speaker, succeeding outgoing Speaker Justin Muturi.
Wetangula, who was supported by President-elect William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza campaign, defeated Raila Odinga’s Azimio la Umoja One Kenya coalition party’s Kenneth Marende.
During the first round of voting, Papa wa Roma, as he is affectionately known, received 215 votes to Marende’s 130 votes.
The second round of voting was scheduled to begin because none of the candidates had received the required two-thirds of the votes, but Marende withdrew from the race, leaving Wetangula as the winner.
Wetangula hence was immediately sworn in after taking the oath of office on the floor of the House, with outgoing Speaker Muturi formally congratulating and handing over the reins to him.
In his acceptance speech following his inauguration, the Ford Kenya party leader pledged to focus on increasing public trust and maintaining cooperation between both Houses of Parliament.
“I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to the members here assembled for the high honour that you have bestowed upon me by electing me as the Speaker of this August House. I accept and submit to your will, and I am ready to serve as the eighth Speaker of the National Assembly since our independence,” he said.
“I commend all the citizens who expressed interest in becoming your Speaker by formally returning their nomination papers, and laud the efforts of my worthy opponent in today’s election; Kenneth Otiato Marende, who also happens to have been one of my distinguished predecessors having served as the 7th Speaker. I am internally humbled and extremely privileged to now occupy this hallowed seat.”
Wetangula, whose political allegiances are with President-elect William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza alliance, won the much-coveted seat with 215 votes to 130 for his competitor Kenneth Marende, who dropped out before the second round of voting.
Papa wa Roma, as Wetangula is affectionately known, is now Kenya’s eighth National Assembly Speaker.
