15 Facts About Ekwee Ethuro

Ekwee David Ethuro was born on 31 December 1963 and is a Kenyan politician.

Ekwee Ethuro was elected as the first Speaker of the modern Kenyan Senate on 28 March 2013.

Ekwee Ethuro served as the Assistant Minister for Planning and National Development from 1998 to 2002 under the government of President Daniel arap Moi.

Ekwee Ethuro was re-elected as Member of Parliament for Turkana Central in the 2007 general elections and steered the proceedings of the 10th Parliament in the position of acting Speaker of the House whenever the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were absent.

Ekwee Ethuro is an alumnus of the Alliance High School, holds an MSc degree from the Clemson University, and a BSc degree from the University of Nairobi.

Ekwee Ethuro was first elected to Parliament as the Member for Turkana Central in the 1997 General Election, and has been re-elected three times, consecutively.

Ekwee Ethuro served as the Assistant Minister for Planning and National Development from 1998 to 2002 under President Moi's government, an appointment that came immediately after his first election to Parliament.

Apart from the acting Speaker's position, Ekwee Ethuro featured in critical Parliamentary Select Committees of the House, top among them the Committees on the Constitution, the Budget Committee, and the Constituency Development Fund Committee.

Ekwee Ethuro was among key members of Parliament that actively and successfully mid-wifed the Constitution, and served as a member of the Constitution Implementation Oversight Committee.

Ekwee Ethuro has served as the chairperson of the parliamentary committee on CDF for two terms of Parliament from 2002 to 2012.

Ekwee Ethuro has served as a member of the Procedures Committee, which deals with the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Ekwee Ethuro paid tribute to the pioneer Senators of post-independence, promising to look up to them for inspiration, guidance and advice.

Ekwee Ethuro was unanimously chosen by the Jubilee coalition as their nominee for Speaker after former Speaker of Parliament Francis ole Kaparo stepped down in his favour.

Ekwee Ethuro won the elections for Speaker of the Senate with the backing of the Jubilee coalition, managing 38 votes against CORD's Farah Maalim's 29 votes in the second round of voting.

Lusaka received 42 to NASA candidate Farah Maalim 25 votes, while Ekwee Ethuro received only two votes.