Justin Muturi re-elected National Assembly Speaker

Bedan Justin Muturi has defended his seat as Speaker of the National Assembly.

Mr Muturi, with the backing of majority Jubilee MPs, was elected in the second round of the vote after failing to meet the two-thirds-majority-vote threshold in Round One.

In the first round, he managed 217 votes against the two-thirds-majority target of 233 out of 348 votes.

His only competitor Noah Migudo managed four votes out of the 221 cast in the first round.

In the second round, Mr Muturi, who required a simple majority to clinch the seat, got 220as Dr Migudo managed one vote.

Mr Muturi was poised to retain the seat after he was endorsed by Jubilee during the party’s parliamentary group meeting held at State House on Wednesday.

With the ruling party enjoying majority in the House, nobody posed a serious challenge to Mr Muturi.

Majority of opposition MPs gave the election a wide berth.

The few who were present did not pick the ballot and comfortably remained in their seats when their names were called out.

Kuresoi North MP Moses Cheboi was elected Deputy Speaker unopposed as he is the only one who returned nomination papers.