By Joshua Cheloti

Bungoma Senator-elect Moses Wetangula is poised to be the country’s third person in command.

This is after the Kenya Kwanza Coalition nominated him for the position of National Assembly Speaker.

A decision to name the Ford Kenya party leader a nominee for the plum position was reached on Saturday, August 20, 2022, following a meeting of collation party leaders.

Kenya Kwanza is a coalition of at least 16 parties, with Ford Kenya, Amani National Congress (ANC) and United Democratic Alliance (UDA) the founding members.

A decision to pick Wetangula for the speaker position was announced by ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi.

“I have a singular honour and privilege on behalf of Kenya Kwanza to announce that we have unanimously agreed that the speaker nominee for the National Assembly for the Kenya Kwanza coalition shall be Moses Wetang’ula. Thank you and congratulation on behalf of Kenya Kwanza,” Mudavadi said.

The Bungoma Senator-elect had already hinted at the decision days before it was made.

“I’m going to be the National Assembly Speaker, the third in command in the country, I want to assure our Kenya Kwanza we have the numbers… Those who decamped to our team saw this country is headed in the right direction,” he told locals in Bungoma county during a burial on Friday, August 19, 2022.

The National Assembly Speaker is the third person in command in that in absence of a President and his Deputy, he/she is the one that takes over as the acting Head of State before another election is held.

Wetangula is likely to easily win the Speaker’s position based on the numbers that are in support of Kenya Kwanza.

Initially, Azimio had a slight majority before some independent MPs and those allied to United Democratic Movement (UDM) and UPIA party joined them.

President-elect William Ruto’s coalition recently claimed to have 180 MPs on their side.

Azimio has however maintained that they have a majority at the National Assembly.

In deciding who becomes the next National Assembly Speaker, MPs will vote – with the votes expected to be based on party lines.

Already Azimio has nominated Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka for the same position.

It will be a contest that will be won by numbers on the floor of the house.