Meru Governor Peter Munya is now chairman of the Council of Governors (CoG) after he was successfully elected by fellow governors yesterday.

Munya takes over from Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto while Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya remains the vice chairman with Marsabit counterpart Ukur Yattani taking over the position of CoG whip from Ken Lusaka, the governor for Bungoma.

Lusaka will now be the liaison for media and communication. The election was through a consensus.

The outspoken Munya, was elected owing to his boldness in defending devolution and is seen as the best placed candidate to fit the role of his predecessor. He will serve as chairman of the CoG for the next one year.

He vowed to stay the course that his predecessor Bomet’s Isaac Ruto charted.

Three other governors namely, Wycliffe Oparanya (kakamega), Salim Mvurya (Kwale) and Ahamed Abdulahhi Mohammed (Wajir) had expressed interests to contend for the position and had to be talked out of the race in order to avoid a divisive poll.