This archive report was first published on 11 May 2020.
On May 11, 2020, President Uhuru Kenyatta chaired a meeting at State House that endorsed West Pokot Senator Samwel Poghisio as the new Senate Majority Leader, replacing Elgeyo Marakwet's Kipchumba Murkomen.
The changes also saw the ouster of Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika as the Majority whip, to be replaced by Murang'a's Irungu Kang'ata.
However, in a letter to Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Ms Kihika protested the changes, saying the Senators at State House were less than the half of all Jubilee members required, and that no vote was taken to confirm the changes.
“The requirements that make it mandatory for more than half of the senators to remove a Majority Leader or Minority Leader was not met... No vote was carried out as required by the Standing order 19 to remove the Majority Leader and the Majority whip,” Ms Kihika said in the letter.
Ms Kihika added that the decision was not sanctioned by the National Executive Committee as required by the Jubilee Party Constitution.
She stated that 22 senators of the ruling party's 38, including three from Kanu, did not attend the meeting, which is more than the 20 required to vote for the changes.
