•Kingi practised law under a private firm in Mombasa where he was an advocate and partner between 2000 and 2003.
•He also worked as a district coordinator for the Kilifi District under the Constitution of Kenya Reform Commission.
Image: FILE
Pamoja African Alliance leader Amason Kingi has had the last laugh after his last-minute joining Kenya Kwanza coalition.
He was previously affiliated with Azimio coalition before defecting to Kenya Kwanza in May.
Kingi was elected Senate speaker on Thursday after he garnered 46 out of the 67 votes, having an absolute majority.
“With humility, I take up my role as Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Kenya. Special thanks to all the Honourable Senators who had faith in me and overwhelmingly voted in my favour. I pledge to discharge my duties without fear, favour or bias,” he said.
Kingi said they ditched Azimio because the coalition refused to sign an agreement with the Coastal people despite frantic efforts to push for a written agreement and they did not feel welcomed.
“When we formed PAA we came to the grassroots and told you that we were in Azimio, all our aspirants popularised the party but supported the Azimio presidential candidate,” he said.
Kingi said PAA joined the Kenya Kwanza alliance as partners but not UDA and they will be fielding aspirants from governors to MCAs positions.
He said President-elect William Ruto agreed in writing that once his coalition forms government he would revive port services, address historical land injustices and revamp the economy.
Born in 1974 in the Magarini constituency in Kilifi, Kingi is now the Senate speaker.
In 1980, he began his primary school education at Magarini Primary School before joining Alliance Boys High School from 1989 to 1992.
He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Law from the University of Nairobi where he graduated and proceeded to the Kenya School of Law for a diploma in Law in 1998.
Kingi practised law under a private firm in Mombasa where he was an advocate and partner between 2000 and 2003.
He also worked as a district coordinator for the Kilifi District under the Constitution of Kenya Reform Commission.
He left his professional work after his political ambitions became strong.
He was among the youngest politicians to serve in the late President Mwai Kibaki's government as Magarini MP from 2003 until 2013.
He served as the Minister for the East African Community between 2008 and 2010.
Before he was elected Kilifi governor, he was the Minister for Fisheries Development between 2010 to March 2013.
He was sworn in as the first Kilifi governor in March 2013.