It's a war of numbers in Kenya parliament over political party amendment Bill

NAIROBI, Kenya

The new battle over the proposed changes to the Political Parties (Amendment) Bill 2021 risks leading to a game of numbers in Kenya Parliament.

Allies of President Uhuru Kenyatta and chief opposition leader Raila Odinga dared Deputy President William Ruto's camp to bring him to the floor of the House, if they feel they are strong.

That was after the Ruto camp pledged to block the bill sponsored by the majority leader in Parliament Amos Kimunya.

Ruto's camp has in the past suffered heavy blows from National Assembly and the Senate when it failed to mobilize the number of important votes. In the public forums the DP said that he has the backing of at least 150 MPs.

The National Assembly has 349 members while the Senate has 67 legislators bringing the total to 416.

In the key vote for the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) proposals, Uhuru and Raila won support from 2/3 majority in the National Assembly.

Of the 320 members who voted, 235 voted in favour of the constitutional amendment bill (2020). Only 83 members voted against the bill opposed by Ruto while two members abstained.

The bill also went smoothly in the Senate after 51 lawmakers voted in favour. Only 12 senators rejected the bill while one abstained.

The Game of Numbers was also played out during the impeachment of the governor of Kirinyaga, Anne Waiguru.

Ruto's allies are said to have supported her impeachment while senators from the Uhuru and Raila camps defended her against any wrongdoing.

The resistance camps could not agree on a course of action and forced them to vote. Waiguru survived impeachment following recommendations from the committee chaired by Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala.

There was also a split in the removal of then-Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko and his Kiambu counterpart Ferdinand Waititu.

Both leaders, who were supporters of DP Ruto, did not survive impeachment.