Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata has officially been kicked out as the Majority Whip in the Senate after he fell out with his Jubilee Party top leadership.
This was announced on Tuesday by Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju, who said Kang’ata will be now be replaced by Kiambu Senator Kimani Wamatangi with immediate effect.
However, the outspoken legislator will only be replaced once Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka confirms and is satisfied that due process of the law was followed in kicking him out.
Irungu Kang'ata and Kipchumba Murkomen. PHOTO/TWITTER
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According to Tuju, Kang’ata is being removed from Senate leadership for breach of party confidentiality and not the controversial open letter he wrote to President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Tuju said the senator is facing the music for the way in which he chose to communicate to the Head of State on Mt Kenya region’s perceived hostility to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI).
Irungu Kang'ata and fellow Jubilee senators. PHOTO/TWITTER
Kang’ata, in his infamous open letter, had told the president that an unscientific poll he had conducted revealed that BBI would be rejected by Central Kenya residents in a referendum.
Speaking after the Jubilee Parliamentary Group meeting at KICC, Nairobi, the besieged Senator faulted the decision to oust him saying all senators at the meeting did not support his removal, blaming his predicament on ODM leader Raila Odinga.
“All senators who have spoken in that meeting have supported me. We should not use BBI to divide our people. I am now noticing that this problem seems to have started after handshake,” Kang’ata said.
Kipchumba Murkomen. PHOTO/TWITTER
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen echoed his remarks, terming his removal as Majority Whip in the Senate illegal and unwarranted.
“None of the people who spoke supported the removal of Kang’ata. They asked Kang’ata to resign, he refused. We asked that they give us the charges against Kang’ata, they said he wrote a letter against the BBI in Mt Kenya region…. we oppose that process,” Murkomen said.
Kang’ata’s fate was sealed Wednesday after Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka approved his removal saying his party Jubilee followed due procedure in ejecting him.