Senator Races 2022: The Forgotten Contests That Shaped County Power

In Kenya's political hierarchy, the Senator occupies an awkward middle ground: more prestigious than an MCA, less visible than a governor, and constitutionally limited to matters affecting counties. Yet the 2022 Senate races produced a chamber whose composition would prove decisive — from approving controversial finance bills to voting on the impeachment of Deputy President Gachagua in October 2024.

The Final Senate Scorecard

After all 47 elected senator seats were tallied (plus 20 nominated senators and 2 youth/disability representatives), the Senate composition was:

• Kenya Kwanza coalition: 27 elected senators (UDA 23, other KK parties 4)
• Azimio la Umoja coalition: 20 elected senators (ODM 10, Wiper 4, Jubilee 3, others 3)

This gave Kenya Kwanza a comfortable majority — enough to pass ordinary legislation and, critically, enough to convict in impeachment proceedings (which require a two-thirds majority of 31 senators, meaning Kenya Kwanza needed to secure additional crossover votes for the Gachagua vote).

The Most Competitive Senate Races

While many Senate seats were foregone conclusions — Bomet was always going to elect a UDA senator, Siaya was always going to elect ODM — several races were genuinely competitive:

Nakuru: The Bellwether

Nakuru's Senate race pitted UDA's Tabitha Karanja (the Keroche Breweries founder) against Azimio's Dorcas Rigathi. Karanja won with 438,215 votes (55.1%) against Rigathi's 311,742 (39.2%). The margin tracked closely with Ruto's presidential performance in the county, confirming Nakuru's shift from Jubilee to UDA.

Kiambu: The Urban-Rural Split

Kiambu's Senate race saw UDA's Karungo Thang'wa defeat Azimio's incumbent-backed candidate with 462,891 votes (58.3%). The race reflected the Mt. Kenya generational divide: younger, urban Kiambu voters broke for Kenya Kwanza, while older voters in rural Gatundu and Lari leaned Azimio.

Mombasa: Nassir's Coattails

ODM's Mohamed Faki won the Mombasa Senate seat with 164,283 votes (51.7%), riding on Abdulswamad Nassir's governor coattails. The race was closer than the governor contest, reflecting the Coast's more fragmented politics at the senate level.

Elgeyo Marakwet: The Murkomen Saga

Perhaps the most consequential Senate race was in Elgeyo Marakwet, where former Senate Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen was not on the ballot — having been tapped for a Cabinet position. UDA's William Kipkorir Cheptumo won the seat with 93,412 votes (85.2%), continuing the county's UDA dominance. View UDA's 2022 Elgeyo Marakwet Senate nomination results live on our portal to see how the primary played out.

The Nominated Senator Dynamics

Beyond the 47 elected seats, the Constitution provides for 20 nominated senators — allocated to parties based on their proportional share of elected seats. This gave Kenya Kwanza approximately 11 nominated slots and Azimio 9. Nominated senators are supposed to represent women, youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized communities — but in practice, the slots are used as political rewards.

Why the Senate Matters More Than You Think

The Senate's power is often underestimated because it cannot initiate money bills. But it has exclusive authority over:

• County revenue allocation: The annual Division of Revenue Bill must pass the Senate. This determines how much money flows to the 47 counties — a combined KES 385 billion in the 2023/24 financial year.
• Impeachment: The Senate serves as the trial court for impeachments of the president, deputy president, and governors. The Gachagua impeachment vote in October 2024 required 31 of 47 senators to convict.
• County legislation: Any bill affecting county governments requires Senate approval — a safeguard of devolution.

The 2022 Senate as 2027 Launchpad

Several 2022 senators are already positioning for governor or even presidential runs in 2027. The Senate chamber is a stepping stone, not a destination, for Kenya's most ambitious politicians. Watch who uses their Senate platform to build 2027 name recognition — those are your future governor candidates.

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