Ethuro, Gitura elected Senate Speaker, deputy

By Standard Digital Reporter

Nairobi, Kenya: Jubilee's Ekwe Ethuro has been elected the first Senate Speaker, in an exercise conducted at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC) in which Murang'a senator James Gitura was voted his deputy.

The positions are coming into effect for the first time in implementation of Kenya's new constitution.

Ethuro beat his rival Farah Maalim by 39 to 28 votes in round two voting after the first voting failed to meet the two third rule.

In the first voting, Ethuro garnered 35 votes, Farah got 31 votes, Omondi had one vote and spoilt vote was one.

He was sworn in immediately after the being elected and went on to preside over the election of the deputy senate spealer.

James Gitura of TNA was elected his deputy after beating his opponent in UDF George Khaniri 39 to 28 votes in second round of voting. They both garnered same amount of votes in first round

In his acceptance speech, following the Thursday morning election, Ethuro promised to uphold the rule of law and offer stewardship leadership.

He also paid tribute to the pioneer Senators of post independence promising to look upto them for inspiration, guidance and advice.