Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka denies fighting CS Wamalwa over Uhuru cabinet job

Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka (on phone) at a meeting in Seychelles (PHOTO: COURTESY)

NAIROBI, KENYA: Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka has vehemently refuted claims doing rounds in social media that he is fighting Water Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa.

In a press statement sent to newsrooms from Seychelles where he is attending the Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference, Mr Lusaka said the feud between him and Mr Wamalwa was imaginary, chiefly driven by a section of people with ill will.

“I have never used my powers or my proximity to power to fight anyone for any reasons whatsoever. I have instead used it to build the capacities of our people and harness the resources of our community for the general development of the country,” read part of the statement.

The Senate Speaker reiterated that there was a systematic scheme by some individuals “to paint me in the explicit contradiction of my ideals.”

For some time now, there have been rumours doing rounds that the Senate Speaker influenced the dropping of the name of Water CS in the initial nomination of the Cabinet members that were announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta recently.

“I have always worked with Wamalwa; we campaigned together to sell Jubilee in Western. Our unity has been our people’s strength,” he said on phone in Seychelles where he is attending the 24th Commonwealth Speakers and Presiding Officers Conference.

Mr Lusaka’s sentiments were echoed by Sirisia MP John Waluke who stated that no one should put blame on the Senate Speaker over the non-nomination of Mr. Wamalwa.

“He (Lusaka) is not the appointing authority. He has no powers to influence who is named and who is not named in the Cabinet; that is prerogative of the President,” said Mr Waluke. “People should wait and see; Bungoma will get CS and PS positions.”

This week, Some Western legislators threaten to ditch Jubilee for NASA if the President fails to name Wamalwa in his Cabinet. Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa said it will not be business as usual if the Water CS’s name is left out of the Cabinet.