Azimio, Kenya Kwanza supremacy battle in Parliament

The August 9 general election has changed course in preparation for the 13th Parliament between the two main camps.

Aside from the presidential race, both parties were engaged in a close race for gubernatorial and parliamentary seats.

The control of 349 members of the National Assembly is up for grabs between the two coalition parties, with Azimio leading with 162 and Kenya Kwanza with 159. Compared to Azimio’s 20, Kenya Kwanza has the highest number of women representatives at 24.

The focus is now on the election of speakers in the two chambers while Kenya Kwanza has the majority control of the Senate at 24 against Azimio’s 23.

To strategise how they will function in the two chambers of parliament and the Council of Governors (CoG), the Azimio team met with its elected leaders for a second time at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in order to assess their numbers before the inaugural of National Assembly and Senate sessions.

DP’s Kenya Kwanza congregated at hia Karen residence with the election of speakers of both Houses high on the agenda for the two political rival factions.

The coalitions will focus their attention to interested group of 12 MPs for the 13th Parliament’s math and power balance elected on independent tickets.

Ruto has already met with three of the independent lawmakers hoping to surpass Azimio in the National Assembly’s numbers yesterday.

This suggests that the 12 MPs elected as independent could serve as a possible balancing force while Azimio and Kenya Kwanza attempt to gain a majority in the bicameral parliament.

MPs elected on independent ticket include Rahim Dawood (Imenti North), Ronald Karauri (Kasarani), Elijah Njoroge (Gatundu North), Shakeel Shabbir (Kisumu East), Timothy Toroitich (Marakwet West), Joshua Mwalyo (Masinga), Nebert Muriuki (Mbeere South), Geoffrey Mulanya (Nambale) and Kitilai Ntutu (Narok South).

This might prove difficult to comprehend considering how top leadership positions were used to entice leaders to form coalitions.

In the Kenya Kwanza pre-election agreement, Moses Wetang’ula, the leader of the Ford Kenya party, had been promised the position of National Assembly speaker, while Amason Kingi, the leader of the Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), was promised the position of Senate leader.

So far four constituencies; Rongai, Kacheliba, Pokot South, and Kitui Rural, whose elections were postponed because of a mix-up in the ballot papers might also have an impact on the balance of power in the National Assembly.

Additionally, both chambers will each have 32 nomination slots depending on how each party faired in the just-concluded polls. There will be 20 senators and 12 representatives in the National Assembly.