Azimio's Ken Ng’ondi wins Nairobi County Speaker race

Azimio's Ken Ng'ondi wins Nairobi Speaker race

Ken Ng'ondi of Azimio has been declared winner of the Nairobi County Assembly Speaker race after garnering 68 votes against Kenya Kwanza's Hassan Robow who got 55. He was sworn in as Speaker of the third Nairobi City County Assembly shortly after.

Mr Ken Ng'ondi, newly elected Speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly

Mr Ken Ng'ondi, newly elected Speaker of the Nairobi County Assembly, is sworn in on September 29, 2022. 

Photo credit: Ndubi Moturi | Nation Media Group

Mr Ng'ondi won in the second round of voting after the first round voting exercise failed to meet the two thirds threshold. In the first round, Mr Ng'ondi had come out tops with 71-52 against Mr Robow.

Mr Paul Kados of Azimio was then declared Deputy Speaker following the withdrawal Mr Samora Mwaura of Kenya Kwanza.

Early on, there was a stand-off in the assembly after Kenya Kwanza-affiliated MCAs accused their Azimio counterparts of planning to compromise the voting process. 

The stand-off was resolved after the Speaker directed that ballot boxes be placed in such a way that no other member can see how the another is voting.

Mr Ngondi, who is the former Nairobi County Assembly Deputy Speaker, will now take over leading the assembly of 124 MCAs in formulating policies that will affect city residents. Mr Robow previously vied for the Kamukunji parliamentary seat on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket. 

Azimio has a slight majority in the assembly comprising of 67 MCAs while Kenya Kwanza has 53 MCAs. Three of the MCAs are independents.

MCAs were sworn in by the county assembly clerk earlier today.