Senate of Kenya

The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of Kenya. The Senate was first established as part of Kenya's 1963 Constitution. After being abolished in 1966, the Senate was re-established by the 2010 Constitution.

The Senate
12th Parliament
Type
Type	Upper house of the Parliament of Kenya
History
Founded	1963 and 2013
New session started	31 August 2017 (2017-08-31)
Structure
Seats	67
Political groups	Government (34)[1]      Jubilee (34) Opposition(33)[1]      National Super Alliance (28)[1]      Independent (1)[1]      Other Parties (4)
Length of term	5 years
Elections
Voting system	47 First Past the Post, 20 co-opted, 1 ex-officio
Last election	8 August 2017
Meeting place
Parliament Buildings,[2] Nairobi, Kenya
Website
Official website

First Senate, 1963–1966

Kenya's 1963 Constitution established a Senate that consisted of 41 senators elected for six years, with one-third of the members retiring every two years. Timothy Chokwe served as the first speaker of the Senate.[3] The Senate was abolished in 1966, when its membership was combined with that of the House of Representatives to form a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly.

Modern Senate, 2013–present

The 2013 Kenya Senate elections took place on 4 March 2013.[4] Under the new constitution, which was passed during the 2010 referendum, the 2013 general election was the first to include the election of Senators representing the 47 newly created counties. They were also the first general elections run by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. According to their share of elected seats, the political parties nominated an additional 16 women. Additional nominations were made for two members representing the youth and two members representing persons with disabilities. The speaker, who is an ex officio member, was elected by the senators sworn in on the first sitting of the Senate.

Powers

The powers and role of the Senate in Kenya are as follows:[5]

• Empowered to represent the interests of the counties and their governments
• Participates in law-making by considering, debating and approving bills concerning counties
• Determines allocation of national revenue among counties.
• Has powers of impeachment over the president, deputy president, county governor, and deputy governors

Members of the Senate from 2017 to 2022

Elected Senators

County No	County Name	Name	Party	Coalition
1	Mombasa	Mohamed Faki Mwinyihaji	ODM	NASA
2	Kwale	Boy Issa Juma	ODM	NASA
3	Kilifi	Stewart Madzayo	ODM	NASA
4	Tana-River	Golich Juma Wario	JP	Jubilee
5	Lamu	Anuar Loitiptip	JP	Jubilee
6	Taita-Taveta	Johnes Mwashushe Mwaruma	ODM	NASA
7	Garissa	Yusuf Haji	JP	Jubilee
8	Wajir	Abdullahi Ibrahim Ali	JP	Jubilee
9	Mandera	Mohamed Maalim Mahamud	JP	Jubilee
10	Marsabit	Godana Hargura	JP	NASA
11	Isiolo	Adan Dullo Fatuma	PDR	Jubilee
12	Meru	Mithika Linturi	JP	Jubilee
13	Tharaka Nithi	Kithure A. Kindiki	JP	Jubilee
14	Embu	Peter Ndwiga	JP	Jubilee
15	Kitui	Enock Wambua	WDM-K	NASA
16	Machakos	Boniface Mutinda Kabaka	WDM-K	NASA
17	Makueni	Mutula Kilonzo, Jr.	WDM-K	NASA
18	Nyandarua	Paul Githiomi Mwangi	JP	Jubilee
19	Nyeri	Ephraim Maina	JP	Jubilee
20	Kirinyaga	Charles Kibiru	JP	Jubilee
21	Murang'a	Irungu Kang'ata	JP	Jubilee
22	Kiambu	Kimani Wamatangi	JP	Jubilee
23	Turkana	Malachy Charles Ekal Imana	ODM	NASA
24	West-Pokot	Samuel Poghisio	KANU	Jubilee
25	Samburu	Steve Ltumbesi Lelegwe	JP	Jubilee
26	Trans-Nzoia	Michael Maling’a Mbito	JP	Jubilee
27	Uasin-Gishu	Margaret Kamar	JP	Jubilee
28	Elgeyo-Marakwet	Kipchumba Murkomen	JP	Jubilee
29	Nandi	Samson Cherarkey	JP	Jubilee
30	Baringo	Gideon Moi	KANU	Jubilee
31	Laikipia	John Nderitu	JP	Jubilee
32	Nakuru	Susan Kihika	JP	Jubilee
33	Narok	Olekina Ledama	ODM	NASA
34	Kajiado	Phillip Salau Mpaayei	JP	Jubilee
35	Kericho	Aaron Cheruiyot	JP	Jubilee
36	Bomet	Christopher Langat	JP	Jubilee
37	Kakamega	Cleophas Malala	ANC	NASA
38	Vihiga	George Khaniri	ANC	NASA
39	Bungoma	Moses Wetangula	FORD-KENYA	NASA
40	Busia	Amos Wako	ODM	NASA
41	Siaya	James Orengo	ODM	NASA
42	Kisumu	Frederick Outa Otieno	ODM	NASA
43	Homa Bay	Moses Otieno Kajwang	ODM	NASA
44	Migori	Ochilo Ayacko	ODM	NASA
45	Kisii	Sam Ongeri	ODM	NASA
46	Nyamira	Kennedy Mong'are Okong'o	ODM	NASA
47	Nairobi	Sakaja Johnson	JP	Jubilee

Source: Kenyan Parliament (2020)[6]

Senate by-election

County No	County Name	former Incumbent	Party	Replaced By	Party	Date
1	Migori County	Ben Oluoch Okello	ODM	George Ochillo Ayacko	ODM	October 2017

Members of the Senate between 2013 and 2017

The Senate consists of 47 members directly elected by their counties, 16 women nominated by the political parties according to their relative strength in the Senate elections, two members to represent the youth, and two members to represent persons with disabilities.

Elected Senators

County No	County Name	Name	Party	Coalition
1	Mombasa	Hassan Omar	WDM-K	CORD
2	Kwale	Issa Juma Boy	ODM	CORD
3	Kilifi	Stewart Madzayo	ODM	CORD
4	Tana-River	Juma Wario	FPK	CORD
5	Lamu	Abu Chiaba	TNA	Jubilee
6	Taita-Taveta	Dan Mwazo	ODM	CORD
7	Garissa	Yusuf Haji	TNA	Jubilee
8	Wajir	Abdirahman Ali	ODM	CORD
9	Mandera	Billow Kerow	URP	Jubilee
10	Marsabit	Godana Hargura	ODM	CORD
11	Isiolo	Mohammed Kuti	URP	Jubilee
12	Meru	Kiraitu Murungi	APK	Jubilee
13	Tharaka Nithi	Kithure Kindiki	TNA	Jubilee
14	Embu	Lenny Kivuti	APK	Jubilee
15	Kitui	David Musila	WDM-K	CORD
16	Machakos	Johnstone Muthama	WDM-K	CORD
17	Makueni	Mutula Kilonzo, Jr.	WDM-K	CORD
18	Nyandarua	Muriuki Karue	TNA	Jubilee
19	Nyeri	Mutahi Kagwe	NARC	Jubilee
20	Kirinyaga	Daniel Karaba	TNA	Jubilee
21	Murang'a	Kembi Gitura	TNA	Jubilee
22	Kiambu	Paul Kimani	TNA	Jubilee
23	Turkana	John Munyes	FORD-KENYA	CORD
24	West-Pokot	John Krop Lonyangapuo	KANU	Jublee
25	Samburu	Sammy Leshore	URP	Jubilee
26	Trans-Nzoia	Henry Ndiema	FORD-KENYA	CORD
27	Uasin-Gishu	Isaac Melly	URP	Jubilee
28	Elgeyo-Marakwet	Kipchumba Murkomen	URP	Jubilee
29	Nandi	Stephen Sang	URP	Jubilee
30	Baringo	Gideon Moi	KANU	Amani
31	Laikipia	Geoffrey Gitahi Kariuki	TNA	Jubilee
32	Nakuru	Susan Kihika	TNA	Jubilee
33	Narok	Stephen Kanyinge ole Ntutu	URP	Jubilee
34	Kajiado	Peter Mositet	TNA	Jubilee
35	Kericho	Charles Keter	URP	Jubilee
36	Bomet	Wilson Lessan	URP	Jubilee
37	Kakamega	Bonny Khalwale	UDF	Amani
38	Vihiga	George Khaniri	UDF	Amani
39	Bungoma	Moses Wetangula	FORD-KENYA	CORD
40	Busia	Amos Wako	ODM	CORD
41	Siaya	James Orengo	ODM	CORD
42	Kisumu	Peter Anyang' Nyong'o	ODM	CORD
43	Homa Bay	Moses Kajwang	ODM	CORD
44	Migori	Wilfred Machage	ODM	CORD
45	Kisii	Chris Obure	ODM	CORD
46	Nyamira	Kennedy Mong'are Okong'o	FORD-KENYA	CORD
47	Nairobi	Gideon Mbuvi	TNA	Jubilee

Women members nominated to Senate

#	Name	Party
1	Beatrice Elachi	APK
2	Catherine Mukite Nobwola	FORD-KENYA
3	Janet Ongera	ODM
4	Elizabeth Ongoro Masha	ODM
5	Halima Abdille Mohamud	ODM
6	Agnes Nzani (Dr.)	ODM
7	Beth Wambui Mugo	TNA
8	Emma Mbura Getrude	TNA
9	Naisula Lesuuda	TNA
10	Joy Adhiambo Gwendo	TNA
11	Martha Wangari	UDF
12	Mshenga Mvita Kisasa	URP
13	Chelule Liza	URP
14	Adan Dullo Fatuma	URP
15	Judith Achieng Sijeny	WDM-K
16	Zipporah Jepchirchir Kittony	KANU

Members nominated to Senate to represent youth

#	Name	Party
1	Kanainza Nyongesa Daisy	ODM
2	Hosea Onchwangi	TNA

Members nominated to Senate to represent people with disabilities

#	Name	Party
1	Ben Njoroge	TNA
2	Godliver Nanjira Omondi	ODM

Summary by coalition and party Between 2013 and 2017

These summaries are based on post-election coalitions as reported by the press.

Coalition	Party	Elected Senators	Nominated Senators	Total
Jubilee	TNA	11	6	17
	URP	9	3	12
	NARC	1	–	1
	Total	21	9	30
Amani Jubilee-affiliated	KANU	2	1	3
	UDF	2	1	3
	Total	4	2	6
Jubilee-affiliated	APK	2	1	3
	Total	2	1	3
CORD	ODM	10	6	16
	FORD-KENYA	4	1	5
	WDM-K	4	1	5
	FPK	1	–	1
	Total	19	8	27
Vacant		1	0	1
Total		47	20	67

Committees

Senate Rules and Business Committee Chair: Ekwee Ethuro Senate Committee on Education, Information and Technology Chair: Mutahi Kagwe (NARC) Vice Chair: Mohamud Halima Abdille (ODM) Senate Committee on Energy, Roads and Transportation Chair: Gideon Moi (KANU) Vice Chair: Mwakulegwa Danson Mwazo (ODM) Senate Committee on Finance, Commerce and Economic Affairs Chair: Billow Kerrow (URP) Vice Chair: Peter Mositet (TNA) Senate Committee on Health, Labour and Social Welfare Chair: Mohammed Kuti (URP) Vice Chair: Kittony Zipporah (KANU) Senate Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Chair: Amos Wako (ODM) Vice Chair: Sang Stephen (URP) Senate Committee on National Security and Foreign Relations Chair: Yusuf Haji (TNA) Vice Chair: Dullo Fatuma (URP) Senate Committee on Agriculture, Land and Natural Resources Chair: Kivuti Lenny (APK) Vice Chair: George Khaniri (UDF) Senate Delegated Legislation Committee Chair: Kisasa Mshenga Mvita (URP) Vice Chair: Sijeny Judith Achieng (WDM-K) Senate Implementation Committee Chair: James Orengo (ODM) Vice Chair: Kanainza Nyongesa Daisy (ODM) Senate Devolved Government Committee Chair: Murkomen Kipchumba (URP) Vice Chair: Wangari Martha (UDF)

References

1. https://africacheck.org/factsheets/factsheet-kenyas-new-parliament-numbers/
2. https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000126650/senators-finally-occupy-refurbished-chambers
3. The Europa World Year Book 1965, p. 638
4. "Kenya to hold polls in March 2013, says elections body". The Citizen. 18 March 2012. Retrieved 2 September 2012.
5. https://www.afrocave.com/role-of-the-senate-in-kenya/
6. "Members of the Senate | The Kenyan Parliament Website". www.parliament.go.ke. Retrieved 25 May 2020.