Kipchumba Murkomen has been elected Senate Deputy Majority leader replacing Charles Keter who was nominated Energy Cabinet Secretary.
The Elgeyo Marakwet Senator, who was elected on Wednesday, is one of Deputy President William Ruto’s closest confidants.
Murkomen was chosen during a parliamentary group meeting chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House, Nairobi. He will be replaced by Nandi Senator Stephen Sang.
He will also replace Keter in the new Jubilee Party as co-chairman of the political mobilisation sub-committee.
Keter has resigned as Kericho Senator and will take over the Energy docket from Davis Chirchir who was suspended over corruption allegations.
He presented his resignation letter to Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro on Wednesday.
Keter served two terms as Belgut MP before he won the Kericho Senator post in the 2013 general election.
Dan Kazungu who was nominated Mining CS also presented his letter of resignation from the Malindi MP post to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.
He said in the letter that he will remain indebted to Malindi constituents and looks forward to serving diligently and with integrity.
This comes hours after the MPs approval of seven of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s cabinet secretary nominees, who now await swearing in.
They included Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution), Willy Bett (Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries) and Cleopa Mailu (Health).
The others were Joseph Mucheru (Information, Communication and Technology) and Sicily Kariuki (Public Service, Gender and Youth Affairs).
