Ex-MP Ndegwa among six in race for Lamu speaker

@ppcheti

Six candidates have declared interest in the Lamu speaker's seat including former Lamu West MP Julius Ndegwa.

Ndegwa was also the running mate of the only female gubernatorial aspirant in the county, Umra Omar of Safina party in the just concluded general election.

They managed 7,556 votes, coming third in the race won by Issa Timamy of ANC.

Ndegwa, who served as Lamu West MP between 2013 to 2017, said he is the perfect candidate for the speaker position considering his experience and qualifications.

“I have served as MP and councilor, therefore I am well conversant with county assembly standing orders among other issues.

"I am definitely the perfect candidate for the speaker position. I am asking MCAs to consider me and be sure of quality service,” he said on Monday.

The outgoing speaker, Abdu Kassim Ahmed, served the assembly from 2017 to 2022.

Kassim vied for the Lamu West MP seat on an ANC ticket in the August 9 General Election but lost to the incumbent, Stanley Muthama of Jubilee.

He has also confirmed that he is in the race to try and retain his seat.

“I am defending my seat. I believe I have all it takes having served as a councilor and MCA, plus I have been speaker up to now. I hope the MCAs will give me a second chance to serve them,” Kassim said.

Others who have expressed interest in the seat are former Lamu assembly clerk Zaccheaus Wanyoike Mboche and Lamu governor Issa Timamy’s political advisor Salim Busaidy alias Giraffe.

Also, former Hongwe MCA James Njuguna Komu and former Witu ward councilor and former nominated MCA, Husni Alawi Mohamed.

Mboche said he had received lots of training around the management of an assembly during his 10-year tenure as clerk.

“As the clerk, I was the principal advisor to the speaker. I now want the speaker’s job to enable me to implement what I have been advising the former speakers at the Lamu assembly,” he said.

Busaidy, who also served as a nominated MCA at the Lamu assembly between 2017 to 2022 said his major agenda is to improve the quality of bills tabled in the assembly.

“There have also been long-time squabbles between MCAs and county executives. As speaker, I will seek to enhance a harmonious working relationship between the assembly and executive. This will enable devolution to work effectively,” he said.

The Lamu assembly has yet to declare the speaker position vacant but is expected to do so now that the new governor has already been sworn into office.

Timamy and his deputy Raphael Munyua Ndung’u took their oath of office in a colorful ceremony last Thursday at Mkunguni Square in Lamu town.

(Edited by Bilha Makokha)