The push and pull that has characterised the August 9 polls is not over yet. The new frontier is the National Assembly Majority Leader position that pits Ugunja Constituency MP Opiyo Wandayi against Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichungw’ah.
Both Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition and Kenya Kwanza are standing firm declaring each holds the majority in the August House.
In the purge that followed Azimio’s loss of the presidency and the gazettement of nominated MPs, Kenya Kwanza holds the majority with 179 of the 349 MPs while Azimio has 158 members.
In Senate, Kenya Kwanza has a slight majority with 36 members against Azimio’s 30.
Under Article 108 (2) the leader of the majority party shall be the person who is the leader in the National Assembly of the largest party or coalition of parties.
Leader of Majority was first established in 1899. And he or she is basically a party strategist.
He or she is the third most powerful person in parliament.
His or her primary functions usually relate to floor duties. The majority leader is the lead speaker for the majority party during floor debates, develops the calendar, and assists the president or speaker with program development, policy formation, and policy decisions.
This office is important more so for the ruling party if they are to pass bills that fit into their manifesto in a timely manner. In instances when the ruling party doesn’t have control of parliament, passing bills is a tougher lobbying affair that is often characterised by delays and opposition.
During Kenya Kwanza’s retreat this week, President William Ruto said that the last administration failed in the last five years because it never involved legislators in its plans. Ruto who was deputy to former President Uhuru Kenyatta said that Parliament is very important for the government’s success.
“The reason why we didn’t do so well in the last 5 years was that we didn’t engage our legislators, our legislators knew very little about our plan. That is why we must start here, you must understand & be the ones to champion our plan for it to succeed,” Ruto said.
Securing control of parliament will be key for Ruto to control the legislative agenda and make budget allocations and executive appointments. His pledges to invest at least KSh 500 billion in farming, which employs more than 40% of the workforce, and set aside KSh 50 billion annually for a so-called “Hustler Fund” to boost small businesses, may require lawmakers to review the 2022-23 national budget that was approved in April.
The National Assembly is crucial in determining funding allocations and legislation, and approves presidential appointments, including those of cabinet ministers, envoys, and heads of state agencies, while the senate’s 67 members focus mainly on matters affecting the administration of the country’s 47 counties.
Thus control in parliament is as important as the Leader of the Majority. If Kenya Kwanza is to achieve these radical changes, they not only need to get hold of the Majority Leader position but also trust that Kimani Ichungw’ah will leverage his parliamentary experience to further bills strategically and across the aisle.
The same act in section (3) provides room for the leader of the minority party who is drawn from the second largest party or coalition of parties.
The minority leader is the principal leader of the minority caucus. He or she is responsible for developing the minority position, negotiating with the majority party, directing minority caucus activities on the chamber floor, and leading debate for the minority.
Join our community and solve the Puzzling fun with our range of crosswords
We are building some fun puzzles to put your problem-solving skills to the test and we want you to have a blast while you're at it!
Share your email and we’ll serve up new puzzles with your morning coffee.
Do you want to help shape the features we prioritize? Take a Survey to help us understand what matters to you most
Begin SurveyAM Live is NTV's morning current affairs show that sets the agenda for the day with insightful panels every weekday.
Business Redefined is Kenya’s premier thought leadership platform for unpacking matters regarding economic and finance policy as well demystifying complex developments in the region’s capital markets.
This is Daily Politics. Here we look into the ins and outs of everything Kenyan politics. We pull no punches and have no reason to sugarcoat anything that matters to Kenyans.
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Gumzo La Sato is a live social issues show that aims to create awareness about issues affecting the larger society. The discussions range from Parenting, Marital bliss and struggles, Oppression, violence, and all matters of the Heart.
Health Diary is a weekly show that highlights different types of diseases/conditions and seeks ways to prevent, treat/manage them. The show debunks this through real life stories and also feature specialists in different fields, to offer medical advice on the same.
Letter To My Younger Self is a podcast where guests get to write a letter to their younger self, from which Maxine formulates questions to ask them during the hour-long show.
Nation Reports is a weekly podcast offers an opportunity for listeners to interact with various reporters and journey with them as they unravel the biggest most emotive stories.
Paradise Lost peeks through the story of Louis Otieno, the times, and everything in between.
Speaking of Gen Z brings you entertaining but meaningful conversations about a generation that is trying to navigate through adulthood. Join hosts Michelle, Jackie and Esther as they unravel all things Gen Z.
Sport-On is a 30-minute sports magazine show on NTV and 3 hours on NATION FM. The show seeks to give the sports “fanatics” and “funatics” comprehensive and in-depth coverage of sports both locally and internationally.
Thamani is a business show which is dedicated to emerging issues regarding micro, small and medium size businesses.
A two-hour-long live show that airs on Fridays. The show focuses on what is current in the entertainment industry, controversial and popular across all media platforms targeting those aged between 25 and 35 years.
The trend podcast highlights and captures the best of banter from #TTTT segment that airs every Friday on NTV. It's the TTTT EXTRA
The Wicked Edition with Dr. King’ori seeks to address serious issues through humour and relatable wit. It is a two-part half hour show filmed in front of a live audience
A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula A collection of our premium content. Diam curabitur vehicula
Twende is a travel show that highlights beautiful, unique, diverse locations, people, and cultures. The show offers fresh perspectives on familiar locations and memorable experiences in new ones.
This Saturday evening lifestyle show lets viewers share their stories and life experiences as openly & honestly for the purpose of shifting the culture of silence.
VIP ACCESS is Anyiko Owoko’s YouTube and podcast show on Music and Culture dedicated to promoting Africa’s most promising talent and creatives. This podcast grants you VIP access into timeless interviews while providing a platform for rising as well as established artists across the continent. Since launching in 2018, Anyiko has interviewed over 70 African music stars.
This weekly news show aims to have all sides of debate but not be constrained by it, listen to main voices in the contest but not allow them to hold the viewers hostage, entertain debate but allow push back with all due respect.
In this podcast, three widowers openly speak about the process of grief, how they found themselves exposed to the emotional turmoil of losing their wives, and how society still does not know how to deal with them.
Your World is a health, wellness and variety show. It provides a platform for audiences and experts to share their experiences on how to improve or manage health issues, across Kenya and the Africa region.
