Mutula Jnr, Murkomen best performing senators — poll

Makueni's Mutula Kilonzo Jnr has emerged as the best performing senator in a survey conducted by Infotrak.

The Wiper lawmaker, who is serving his second term, scored 66.4 per cent, beating more experienced legislators to the top position.

He was followed by Elgeyo Marakwe's Kipchumba Murkomen, who scored 58.8 per cent, and Samburu’s Lelegwe Ltumbesi, who got 57.2 per cent.

Kwale’s Issa Juma Boy was fourth with a score of 55.4 per cent, while Kakamega’s Cleophas Malala closed the list of the best five with 54.8 per cent.

The survey findings were released in Nairobi yesterday.

Tana River's Wario Golich Juma was the worst performing senator among the 47 elected members of the Senate. He scored 36.4 per cent.

Wajir’s Abdulahi Ibrahim (39.1 per cent), Nyandarua’s Mwangi Githiomi (39.8 per cent), Trans Nzoia’s Michael Mbito (39.9 per cent) and Kajiado’s Mpayeei Salau (40.1 percent) were among the bottom performers.

The poll ranked the senators based on their perceived performance in the House and in their counties. Between 600 and 2,000 respondents per county were asked to rate their senators on his or her overall performance.

Infotrak conducted the study in all the 1,450 wards with a +/- 2 – 4 and 95 per cent degree of confidence. The respondents were reached through computer-assisted telephone interviews.

Senators are constitutionally charged with the mandate of safeguarding devolution and promoting interest of their counties.

“Whilst all elected leaders have elaborate job description which include but are not limited to legislation, the fact that they sought the mandate of the electorate means that perception of their performance should largely be determined by their engagement with the same electorate,” Infotrak’s Walter Nyakundi said.

Isiolo Senator Fatuma Dulo (54.6 percent), Kericho’s Aaron Cheruiyot (52.8), Tharaka Nithi’s Kithure Kindiki (52.6) and Murang’a’s  Irungu Kang’ata (52.4 per cent) were ranked sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth respectively.

Senate Majority leader Samuel Poghisio was ranked tenth with a 52.1 per cent score followed by Bungoma’s Moses Wetang’ula (51.6), Nandi’s Samson Cherargei (51.5), Siaya’s James Orengo (51.1), Nairobi’s Johnson Sakaja (50.9) and Vihiga’s George Khaniri (50.7 per cent).

In terms of regions, Mutula also topped in Eastern, while Kang'ata was ranked the best performing senator in Central. Issa Boy topped in the Coast, while Garissa Senator Yususf Haji emerged the best in Northeastern.

Minority leader James Orengo was the best performer in Nyanza, while former Majority leader Murkomen topped in the Rift Valley. Malala was the best lawmaker from the Western region.

Among those serving their first terms, Lelegwe was ranked the best, followed by Issa Boy, while Wario and Abdullahi of Wajir were ranked the worst performers.

Marsabit's Hargura Godana and Amos Wako (Busia) were ranked the worst-performing second-term senators with 42.5 per cent and 40.4 per cent respectively.

Wako—a former Attorney General—was rated among the worst performers by Mzalendo in a survey that showed the ODM lawmaker never uttered a word in the Senate in 2019. He was flagged alongside five other nominated senators who never spoke.

Isiolo's Dullo topped the female senators' category. She was also the second-best performing senator from the Eastern region. She was fourth-best among those serving their first terms.

The study also sought to establish the performance of MCAs with those from Makueni, Embu, Baringo, Vihiga and Nyeri ranking among the best performers.

Those interviewed listed Trans Nzoia, Homa Bay, Mandera, Isiolo and Laikipia as some of the counties with worst performing ward representatives.

Ratings for the county assemblies were derived by getting the combined frequencies from all the respondents in a ward for a respective assembly.

The study was conducted between November and December last year and January 2020. Makueni was found to have the most active and best performing MCAs.

A pilot survey was conducted between August and September last year.

Other top performing assemblies were Kwale, West Pokot, Kakamega and Machakos.

County assemblies are constitutionally mandated with legislation, representation and overseeing operations of the county executive.

Last month, Infotrak was forced to fight off allegations of extortion by governors following a poll on the performance of the county chiefs.

Some lawmakers accused the firm of ranking some MPs poorly after they failed to part with bribes that were allegedly demanded by agents for a favourable ranking.

Kajiado Senator Philip Mpaayei who was ranked 43 out of 47 yesterday dismissed the survey as misleading. He said the parameters employed were not scientific.

“The ranking is misleading. Supposedly the opinion poll is about an individual senator’s rating in his county. How did they reach 43 for me, what did they consider? So to me the ranking is completely misleading,” Mpaayei said.

Edited by P.O