Raila Odinga, William Ruto open new war front on which coalition has majority MPs

Others picked are Isiolo senator Fatuma Dullo who will be the Minority Whip with first-term Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna serving as her deputy.

But in the National Assembly, both Azimio and Kenya Kwanza stuck to their positions that they hold the majority.

At a press conference held at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Foundation offices in Nairobi, Kalonzo unveiled Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi as Majority Leader to be deputised by Kathiani's Robert Mbui.

Azimio also picked Suna East MP Junet Mohamed as Majority Chief Whip to be deputised by nominated MP Sabina Chege.

But speaking in Naivasha during the final day of the Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary Group meeting, President Ruto unveiled Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungwah as the Majority Leader with his Kilifi North counterpart Owen Baya as his deputy.

Mugirango South MP Sylvanus Osoro will be the Majority Whip in the National assembly to be deputised by Naomi Waqo, according to Ruto.

In the Senate, the Majority leader will be Kericho's Aaron Cheruiyot with Tabitha Karanja (Nakuru) as the deputy. Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale will be the Majority Whip with Stephen Lelegwe (Samburu) as his deputy.

Oversight

The President had on Friday dismissed the assertion by the Azimio coalition that it controlled the number in the national assembly challenging them to focus on offering oversight for his administration.

"I have heard Azimio say they have the numbers....if they could not raise a candidate for the Senate's Speaker's job what numbers are they talking about?," said the president at the end of the Kenya Kwanza Parliamentary group retreat in Sawela Lodge in Naivasha.

Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Nderitu pointed out that the United Democratic Movement (UDM), Pamoja African Alliance (PAA), Devolution Empowerment Party, Maendeleo Chap Chap (MCC), Movement for Growth and Democracy and Muungano Party, all which have declared their allegiance to Ruto since he was declared the President-elect, were still part of the Azimio Coalition even though inside Parliament they are identifying with the Kenya Kwanza Coalition.

According to the letter, UDM, PAA, MCC and MDG have filed applications in the High Court challenging their membership in Azimio but their cases are yet to be determined.

UDM has three senators and 7 MPs, PAA has two MPs the same as MCC, while MDG has only one MP, numbers that have helped shore up Kenya Kwanza strength in the House.

Despite having signed agreements with the President, the political parties are yet to file returns with the Office of the Registrar and therefore their legality cannot be vouched for.

It is not clear, but there is little doubt that Kioko must have passed this crucial information to Moses Wetangula upon his election as speaker of the House as is required by law. If she did not it will remain a critical document on which Wetangula's reasoning will be pegged on as it will provide a vital tool if he will be forced to make a ruling on the matter that has divided opinion.

Politicians' infidelity

Saturday, Registrar of Political Parties Anne Nderitu stuck to her position that no political party can belong to two coalitions at any particular moment.

While she did not delve into the details, a document she presented to the National Assembly provided a detailed analysis of which coalition every political party that has signed a coalition agreement belong.

Nderitu said she had only read of the new alliances in the newspaper but cannot vouch for them as they are yet to be filed with her office as required by law.

"One thing that we shall focus on is whether any political party that has signed the agreement to disengage from its earlier coalition following the laid down procedures," she said, adding that anything less will amount to an abuse of the law.

The state of confusion is further compounded by the fact that Senate speaker, Amason Kingi belongs to PAA which has not yet legally disengaged from Azimio although he bagged the seat after his party entered into a pre-election agreement with Kenya Kwanza.

[Additional reporting by Antony Gitonga]