Elisha Oraro to head Kisumu County Assembly after a record 100% backing of members

Newly elected Kisumu County Assembly Speaker Elisha Oraro
Newly elected Kisumu County Assembly Speaker Elisha Oraro [Photo/ Daily Nation]

Kisumu County Assembly on Friday mid-morning assembled at the chambers to cast a vote to elect a new speaker after the former one, Onyango Oloo, was dramatically ousted through impeachment on corruption allegations. The Friday vote saw former Kisumu North MCA, Elisha Oraro, take up the seat after all the MCAs overwhelmingly casted in his favor.

Oraro received the maximum possible number of votes in the assembly, 47, after his competitor lawyer Kenneth Amondi bowed out of the race Thursday evening and pledged support for Oraro. Oraro has been serving as the assemblyโ€™s acting speaker since Onyangoโ€™s impeachment until early this week when he tendered his resignation letter as Kisumu North MCA to submit his candidature for the speakerโ€™s seat.

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Shortly after the conclusion of the process, the Speaker-elect delivered his acceptance speech, calling for unity among the MCAs so as to enable the development agenda move forward.

“Let us prove to the world that MCAs can also deliver in such positions. Let us enhance our representative role and oversight to move the development agenda forward,” pleaded Mr Oraro.

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Oraroโ€™s election translates into an automatic need for a by-election in the North Kisumu Ward, a process expected to kick off after the assembly formally writes to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) notifying the commission of the vacancy.