The ruling Jubilee party proceeded to replace Isaac Mwaura as Nominated Senator following a successful removal from the party list.
This comes barely a day after Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka declared the seat held by the under-fire Mwaura had been rendered vacant after delisting from his parent party.
In a special gazette notice Tuesday, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati indicated that Sammy Leshore had been nominated by Jubilee to the Senate to represent persons with disabilities in place of Mwaura.
“The deleted nominee (Isaac Mwaura) stands disqualified as the member to the Senate representing persons with disabilities,” the gazette notice read.
Get breaking news on your Mobile as-it-happens. SMS ‘NEWS’ to 20153
Leshore is a former Samburu Senator. Prior to his election as Senator in 2013, he also previously served as a member of parliament.
Interestingly, Mwaura had on Tuesday obtained a court order barring the IEBC and the Senate from acting on the determination of the political parties Tribunal dated 7th May 2021.
The court also stayed further implementation of his removal pending the inter partes hearing which is slated for on 24th May 2021.
In his communication to the House, Speaker Lusaka said that he received a copy of the Special Issue of the Kenya Gazette No. 102, dated 10th May, 2021, containing Gazette Notice No. 4597 communicating the occurrence of a vacancy in a Member of the Senate elected through a party list.
“It is important to note that the publication of this Gazette came to my notice for the first time during the lunch break this afternoon,” he said.
The embattled Senator had earlier participated in Senate’s special sittings including voting at the Second Reading of the Constitution of Kenya (Amendment) Bill, 2020.
Mwaura was among six Senators who were expelled by the ruling party in February for alleged gross misconduct.
The Jubilee Party had vowed to take disciplinary actions against legislators who refuse to toe the line.
Last month, the High Court had temporarily suspended the decision by the ruling party to expel Mwaura pending hearing of his case.
