By John Mutiso
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has been removed as the Senate Majority Whip following a resolution by the Kenya Kwanza Majority Party coalition.
Bungoma Senator David Wafula Wakoli has been elected as his replacement, effective immediately.
Speaking 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.
“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.
