Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has blamed the National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula for failing to include his name in the Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH) award nominees list.
The Senator took to X on Sunday, November 12, calling out the speaker for discrimination against him because of a personal squabble.
Additionally, Ledama claimed that Wetangula has left out his name from the list intentionally two times in a row despite being a qualified candidate.
“The speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula hates me with passion! For the second time, he has removed my name from the honors list,” lamented the Senator.
“Wetangula, the people of Kenya honor me for my agility and dedication to service. You can use all your powers to deny me my rights, but you can never kill my spirit,” he added.
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Candidates on the Presidential Honors List
Notably, some of the politicians who made it on the list include National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah, Senator Aaron Cheruiyot, Minority Leaders Opiyo Wandayi and Kilifi Senator Steward Mwadzayo.
At the same time, former United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Chairman Johnson Muthama and Nakuru Senator Tabitha ‘Keroche’ Karanja were nominated in the Moran of the Order of the Golden Heart (MGH) category.
Nevertheless, there are 50 other candidates whose names were proposed by the Parliamentary Honours Advisory Committee (PHAC) as recipients of the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH) award.
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Also, Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna was nominated for the Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS) amongst 37 other MPs.
The list was released on Saturday, November 11 as parliament invited members of the public to issue their views on the nominees.
Subsequently, Kenyans were directed to give their opinion to joint secretariat of the Parliamentary Honours Advisory Committee by Tuesday, November 14.
What is the Order of the Golden Heart (EGH) Award
Order of the Golden Heart is the highest award in Kenya, presented by the Head of State during Jamhuri Day in December 12.
The honors are divided into three classes including Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart (C.G.H.), Elder of the Order of the Golden Heart (E.G.H.) and Moran of the Order of the Golden Heart (M.G.H.).
In addition, the recipients are nominated by their county commissioners, government agencies, religious institutions, non-governmental entities, individuals, and other community-based groups.