MPs to vote for EALA representatives tomorrow
Winnie Odinga (left) and Kennedy Kalonzo (right). They are said o be the preferred candidates for ODM party and Wiper respectively.
Senators and members of the National Assembly will tomorrow go to the ballot to elect the country’s EALA representatives after the presiding officers in the election gazetted Thursday November 17 as the voting day.
The National Assembly clerk Samuel Njoroge and his Senate counterpart Jeremiah Nyegenye will be the presiding officers in the election to be held in both the Senate and National Assembly chambers.
The two main coalitions in Parliament, President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza and Azimio led by Raila Odinga, last week reached out to each other to support their “preferred candidates”.
President Ruto’s UDA party submitted 15 names of the 145 individuals who applied, with Azimio presenting 12 of the 96 shortlisted applicants. Five of the Kenyan seats will go to UDA with four going to ODM.
The UDA list has city businessman Joel Nyambane, former URP secretary-general and Sports Kenya chairman Fredrick Muteti, former Nandi Woman MP Zipporah Kering, Ms Rebecca Lowoiya, Mr Jonas Kuko, Mr Salim Busidy, former MP Kubai Iringo and former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar Hassan.
The others are Ms Iman Falhadha, Mr David Sankok, and former Balambala MP Abdikadir Aden who will be seeking to defend his seat at Eala and Ms Lilian Tomitom, among others.
ODM has Winnie Odinga, Siaya senator Oburu Oginga’s son Jaoko Oburu, former Kwale Woman rep Zuleika Hassan, Mombasa politician Suleiman Shahbal, former Wajir South MP Mohamed Diriye and former Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire.
The ODM list also includes former Busia Senator Amos Wako, former Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro, Mr Odinga’s Chief agent in the August 9, 2022 Presidential election Mr Saitabao Ole Kanchory, former Nyakach MP Peter Odoyo, former Naivasha MP John Mututho, Ms Beatrice Askul and Mr Justus Kizito.
Retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee party has submitted former MPs Jeremiah Kioni (Ndaragwa), Kanini Kega (Kieni) and Ms Ruth Mwaniki (Kigumo). Wiper has Mr Kennedy Kalonzo, Ms Winfred Mutua and Ms Hellen Ndeti.
Of the 16 independent candidates who had applied, only one, Mr Duncan Mwangi Ndegwa made it because all the others were not able to meet the requirements that include the mandatory 1,000 signatures from their constituency to back their nomination.
