Ex national assembly speaker Kenneth Marende drops Vihiga gubernatorial bid.

Ex National Assembly speaker Kenneth Marende has shelved his Vihiga gubernatorial bid, a day after being promised to be appointed as the next senate speaker by former prime minister Rt Hon Raila Odinga if Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance forms the next government.

Marende who was eyeing to be elected as the third governor of Vihiga on a Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) ticket was to face ODM’s Wilbur Otichilo, the current county boss and founding governor Moses Akaranga who’s reigniting to the top seat on UDA party ticket.

With the withdrawal of Marende, it becomes a major boost to current governor Wilbur Otichilo of ODM because the two were under the Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance umbrella where DAP-K was also an affiliate party.

If Raila Odinga wins the August presidential election and form the government, Hon. Kenneth Marende will be the first Kenyan to serve as the speaker in both National Assembly and Senate houses under the 2010 constitution.

The pre-appointment of Kenneth Marende and Wycliffe Oparanya by Raila Odinga on Monday has brought a shift to the Luhya nation as the members of the community feel represented in Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance.