Hassan Omar drops out of Senate Speaker race

Omar wrote on Facebook that the decision was met after much deliberations with President-elect William Ruto alongside other leaders in the Kenya Kwanza coalition.

"Following lengthy deliberations with H.E William Samoei Ruto and other Kenya Kwanza leaders yesterday, we agreed that H.E Amason Kingi be fronted as the coalition's candidate for Senate Speaker in keeping with the spirit of coalition partnership," he said on Wednesday.

"I have no objection to this considering that this position was reserved for the Coast and hereby withdraw my candidature for Senate Speaker."

Omar further urged elected senators affiliated to Kenya Kwanza to rally behind Kingi "as agreed upon by all of us."

Omar was among 17 applicants who had expressed interest in the Senate top job including Former nominated senator Isaac Mwaura, Kenneth Marende who served at the same role in the 10th Parliament and Agano party leader David Mwaure Waihiga.

The election shall take place tomorrow, Thursday, once the newly elected MPs are sworn-in at the 13th Parliament's first sitting.

To clinch the post in the first round of voting, one must garner at least 233 votes in a house of 349 members.  

If there will be no round one winner, the first two contestants will face each other in a run-off, that requires a simple majority to win.