Senate of Kenya

The Senate
11th Parliament
Type
Type	Upper house of the Parliament of Kenya
History
New session started	28 March 2013 (2013-03-28)
Leadership
Speaker	Ekwe Ethuro, Jubilee Since 28 March 2013
Deputy Speaker	Kembi Gitura, Jubilee Since 28 March 2013
Majority Leader	Kindiki Kithure, Jubilee Since 17 April 2013
Minority Leader	Moses Wetangula, CORD Since 16 October 2013
Structure
Seats	67
Political groups	Jubilee (30)      Amani (6)      Other Parties (3)      CORD (28)
Length of term	5 years
Elections
Voting system	47 First Past the Post, 20 co-opted, 1 ex-officio
Last election	4 March 2013
Meeting place
Kenyatta International Conference Centre Nairobi, Kenya
Website
Official website

Kenya
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Kenya
National Government Constitution History Human rights
Executive President (list) Uhuru Kenyatta Deputy President William Ruto Cabinet Attorney General Githu Muigai Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko
Legislature National Assembly Speaker: Justin Muturi List of members Constituencies Senate Speaker: Ekwe Ethuro List of members
Judiciary Chief Justice Willy Munyoki Mutunga Deputy Chief Justice Kalpana Rawal Supreme Court Court of Appeal High Court Subordinate courts Magistrates Courts Kadhi Courts Courts Martial Tribunals Judicial Service Commission
Administrative divisions Counties Sub-Counties Constituencies
Commissions · Offices Electoral and Boundaries Ethics and Anti-Corruption National Human Rights and Equality (National Commission on Human Rights • Administrative Justice) National Land Commission Revenue Allocation Salaries and Remuneration Service Commissions Judicial National Police Parliamentary Public Teachers Offices Auditor-General Controller of Budget
Recent elections General: 2002 2007 2013 Local: 2002 2007 2013
Political parties The National Alliance United Republican Party Orange Democratic Movement Wiper Democratic Movement Party of National Unity Kenya African National Union Kenya National Congress
Foreign relations
Economic schemes Vision 2030 Kenya Economic Stimulus Program
Other countries Atlas Politics portal

The Senate is the upper house of the Parliament of Kenya. The Senate was first established as part of Kenya's 1963 Constitution. After being abolished in 1966, the Senate was re-established by the 2010 Constitution.

First Senate, 1963–1966

Kenya's 1963 Constitution established a Senate that consisted of 41 senators elected for six years, with one-third of the members retiring every two years. Timothy Chokwe served as the first speaker of the Senate.^[1] The Senate was abolished in 1966, when its membership was combined with that of the House of Representatives to form a unicameral legislature, the National Assembly.

Modern Senate, 2013–present

The 2013 Kenya Senate elections took place on 4 March 2013.^[2] Under the new constitution, which was passed during the 2010 referendum, the 2013 general election was the first to include the election of Senators representing the 47 newly created counties. They were also the first general elections run by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). According to their share of elected seats, the political parties nominated an additional 16 women. Additional nominations were made for two members representing the youth and two members representing persons with disabilities.The Speaker, who is an ex officio member, was elected by the Senators sworn in on the first sitting of the Senate.

Powers

• Empowered to represent the interests of the counties and their governments
• Participates in law-making by considering, debating and approving bills concerning counties
• Determines allocation of national revenue among counties.
• Has powers of impeachment over President, Deputy President, County Governor, and Deputy Governors

Current members of the Senate

The Senate consists of 47 members directly elected by their counties, 16 women nominated by the political parties according to their relative strength in the Senate elections, two members to represent the youth, and two members to represent persons with disabilities.

Elected Senators

Women members nominated to Senate

Members nominated to Senate to represent youth

Members nominated to Senate to represent the disabled

Summary by coalition and party

These summaries are based on post-election coalitions as reported by the press.

Committees

References

Coordinates: 1°17′20″S 36°49′22″E / 1.2888°S 36.8227°E / -1.2888; 36.8227