NAIROBI, Kenya – Outspoken Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale has been removed as the Senate Majority Whip and replaced by his Bungoma counterpart, David Wafula Wakoli.
The communication was made on the floor of the House on the afternoon of Tuesday, December 2, 2025, by Speaker Amason Kingi.
In his communication, the Speaker confirmed having received and verified a correspondence received from the Senate Majority Leader informing the House that the Majority Party has effected a change in the office of the Senate Majority Whip.
“The new officeholder will be Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli. I have received correspondence from the Senate Majority Leader, Aaron Cheruiyot, regarding changes in the majority party leadership affecting the office of the Senate Majority Whip,” Speaker Kingi said.
The Speaker cited Standing Order 225, which provides that an elected senator may be removed by a majority vote of all the senators who vote from senators of the majority party.
How Boni Khalwale was ousted as Senate Majority Whip
Further, Speaker Kingi observed that Standing Order 227 states that upon a decision being made by the majority party or coalition under this standing order, the decision of the party or coalition shall be communicated to the speaker in writing, together with the minutes of the meeting at which the decision was made.
“In the case of the Senate majority leader or the deputy Senate majority leader, by the Senate majority whip. Also, in the case of the removal of the Senate majority whip or the Senate deputy majority whip by the Senate majority leader,” the Speaker added.
Pursuant to Standing Order 227, Speaker Kingi reiterated that the said letter from the Senate majority leader was accompanied by the minutes of the majority party meeting dated December 2, 2025, which is a record of the minutes of the meeting together with the resolutions and a duly signed list of senators who attended the above-indicated meeting.
“Now, from the correspondent, the minutes indicate that a resolution was passed to remove the Senate majority whip, Senator Boni Khalwale, in accordance with Standing Order 225. The minutes further indicate that the majority party elected Senator David Wafula Wakoli to serve as the Senate majority whip in his place,” he added.
Speaker Kingi further cited Standing Order 228, which provides that the speaker, upon receipt of the decision, shall verify the correspondence received and deliver a communication to the Senate within 3 sitting days. In this respect, I have verified the corresponding receipt and hereby communicate that the majority party has effected a change in the office of the Senate majority whip; the new office holder, therefore, with immediate effect, is Senator David Wafula Wakoli,” explained Speaker Kingi.
Why Boni Khalwale has been at loggerheads with UDA
Senator Khalwale’s woes stem from the just-concluded Malava by-election in Kakamega County, where he went against his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party and backed an opposition candidate.
UDA, the ruling party, fielded David Ndakwa, who won the polls against Khalwale’s preferred candidate, Seth Panyako of the Democratic Action Party-Kenya (DAP-K), who came second.
Ahead of the hotly contested polls, Khalwale was up in arms after the government withdrew his security detail alongside that of Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya.
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