Hassan Omar drops Senate speakership to back ex-Kilifi governor Amason Kingi

Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar Sarai in Nyali, Mombasa. [Omondi Onyango, Standard]

Former Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar has formally dropped his bid as Kenya Kwanza candidate for the position of Senate Speaker.

Omar, on his official Twitter page on Wednesday, said he will now back former Kilifi governor Amason Kingi, who has been fronted as the Alliance's candidate.

"Following lengthy deliberations with president-elect William Ruto and other Kenya Kwanza leaders yesterday, we agreed that Amason Kingi be fronted as the Coalition's candidate for Senate Speaker in keeping with the spirit of Coalition partnership," Omar, who lost the Mombasa governorship race said.

He added that he will not object Kingi's candidature, as the position had been reserved for leaders from the Coast region.

"I have no objection to this considering that this position was reserved for the Coast and hereby withdraw my candidature for Senate Speaker. I trust that all Senators will rally their support for my brother Kingi as so agreed upon by all of us."

Elections for Senate Speaker will take place tomorrow, Thursday at Parliament buildings.

Sources have intimated to The Standard that Kingi will be deputised by Meru Senator-elect Kathuri Murungi.

President Uhuru Kenyatta, in a gazette notice published on Monday, September 5, declared that the first sitting of the third Senate of the 13th Parliament will be on Thursday, starting at 9 am.

The sitting will be undertaken concurrently, in the 68-member Senate and the 350-member National Assembly.

Senate invited eligible members of the public to apply for the Speaker position.