Nakuru Senator now president of global parliamentary group

Nakuru Senator Susan Kihika (pictured) has taken over leadership of a key international parliamentary forum.

The Senate Majority Whip, is now president of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians, a caucus group under the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).

Speaker Kenneth Lusaka, who is leading the Kenyan delegation in the ongoing assembly, broke the news of Kihika’s new role after holding a meeting with Martin Chungong the Secretary General of IPU, in Geneva, Switzerland.

“The Secretary General informed me that Senator Kihika who was elected as the first Vice President of the Bureau of Women Parliamentarians during in March, will act as President owing to a vacancy in the Presidency,” Mr Lusaka tweeted on Friday.

The vacancy arose after former President Ulrika Karlson from Sweden lost her seat in parliament in election held last month, paving way for the Senator, First Vice President, to rise to the top, as stipulated in the rules of the bureau constitution.

Yesterday, Senator Kihika officially opened and chaired the 28th Forum of women parliamentarians, in her new capacity at the conference.

“I am deeply honoured to preside over the Session for the Forum of Women Parliamentarians. I look forward to working with each of you to promote gender equality and women empowerment in the IPU and in our respective member Parliaments,” said Ms Kihika.

According to Rule 4.4. of caucus, should the president of the bureau die, resign or lose her seat in parliament, the First Vice President shall serve as President for the remainder of the term.

This therefore means the Nakuru senator will therefore serve as the Forum’s President until 2020.

IPU President Hon Gabriela Cuevas Barron (Mexico) congratulated the senator on her Presidency saying she has “full confidence in Susan who is an extraordinary woman who will champion the Forum’s ideals.”

The Bureau that comprises of women elected parliamentarians was set up in 1990. It is made up of women from all six IPU geopolitical groups which include Africa, the Arab World, Asia-Pacific, Eurasia, Latin America/the Caribbean. It has a President and two Vice-Presidents.

IPU Assembly is the only global forum of MPs that brings together parliamentarians to address and drive change on issues on the international agenda.