Cord's Magelo elected Nairobi County Assembly Speaker
Alex ole Magelo acknowledges cheers from supporters outside City Hall, Nairobi after he was elected Nairobi County Assembly Speaker March 22, 2013. ANN KAMONI
What you need to know:
- 15 County Assembly members sworn in in Nairobi.
Long serving councillor Alex ole Magelo is the new Nairobi County Assembly Speaker.
Mr Magelo, of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (Cord), garnered 43 votes against his Jubilee challenger Paul Mutungi's 42.
Mr Magelo, the AFC Leopards chairman, was declared Speaker after a second round of voting.
"This election epitomises my dream to serve," said Mr Magelo in the company of jubilant county representatives.
"Politics aside, work begins. Let this Assembly be of men and women of honour. For those who know me, this city is now in good hands," he said.
"My office is open to all because you are my employer."
In the first round, he got 43 votes against Mr Mutungi's 42.
Mr Magelo, a former nominated councillor, was born in 1954. He defeated 25 other candidates eyeing the County Assembly Speaker seat. He contested the Kajiado West National Assembly seat but lost.
The swearing in ceremony of the 85 elected County Representatives was presided over by High Court Judge Msagha Mbogholi.
Earlier, parking spaces were reserved and security reinforced as the men and women who are expected to lead the transformation of what used to be the Nairobi City Council into a world class metropolis prepared to take the oath of office.
Tight security at the entrance to County Hall where 85 Nairobi County Representatives were to be sworn in March 22, 2013. AGGREY MUTAMBO
Similar ceremonies were held at the 47 County headquarters across Kenya.
Nairobi, East and Central Africa’s biggest metropolis and business hub, was run by a mayor and a team of elected and nominated councillors before the March 4, 2013, General Election, which introduced devolution.
Under the new system, the city will be run by Governor-elect Evans Kidero and the executive team he will appoint after he is sworn in on March 27.
County Governments, which will take shape after the swearing in ceremonies, are a major pillar of Kenya’s new devolved system under the new Constitution adopted in August 2010.
When fully implemented, the system will reform both the old council and provincial administration systems to give more power to elected officials in managing affairs at grassroots level.
