This archive report was first published on 12 May 2020.
On May 12, 2020, West Pokot Senator Samuel Poghisio was appointed the Leader of Majority in the Senate, replacing Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen. However, the transition has been marred by controversy.
Senator Poghisio has since reached out to his predecessor on Twitter, calling for a truce in a bid to end the bad blood between them.
"We are not on a war zone," Poghisio tweeted, in a message that appears to be his way of reaching out to Murkomen.
However, Murkomen has blocked Poghisio on Twitter, further escalating the tensions between the two senators.
The bad blood between the two senators began after Poghisio was appointed to replace Murkomen during a Jubilee Coalition Parliamentary Group at State House, chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The meeting was attended by Poghisio, Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, and nominated Senator Abshiro Halakhe, all of Kanu, based on the strength of the post-poll deal between Jubilee Party and Kanu.
However, the deal has been thrown into chaos after the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal (PPDT) suspended any action accruing from the Jubilee-Kanu post-election coalition deal.
The replaced senators, who are close allies of Deputy President William Ruto, insist that the Jubilee NEC has never met since 2017 and could therefore not have approved the deal.
