Uhuru Kenyatta: I'll hand over power smiling

The President cautioned Azimio MPs and senators against being bribed ahead of today's election of the Speakers of Parliament.

"Do not allow yourself to be bought. Ukinunuliwa (when you agree to be bought) you will regret it. Its time to show whether you will be bought at a price of Sh5, or stand with 50 million Kenyans," he said.

To underscore his point, the President played an audio clip of the late Tanzania President Pombe Magufuli who fought against corruption.

The retiring Head of State, who is the chairman of Azimio, asked the leaders to remain loyal and resilient so that they can oversight the new administration.

According to sources who attended the closed-door meeting, the President said Parliament was he last line of defence in protecting the welfare of wananchi. "The President implored us to remain united and use our strength in numbers to ensure everything is on truck. The meeting also discussed how to mobilise their bases to remain united," said an MP-elect from Western Kenya.

"Actually, the issue of remaining united as a coalition was one of the main agenda as well as how we can use our numbers to push through our Azimio dream for the country."

The meeting also reflected on their election loss, with the President admitting that some of his advisers may have let him down.

The team nominated Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka for the Senate Speaker seat and Kenneth Marende for the Speaker of the National Assembly to be deputised by Stewart Madzayo and Farah Maalim respectively. Outgoing Murang'a Women Rep Sabina Chege said the meeting sought to solidify the unity of Azimio while crafting a strategy to win Independent candidates to vote alongside Azimio.

She noted that after the resignation of Wetang'ula, Kenya Kwanza will have 23 Senators against 22 from Azimio and exuded confidence that it will be easy for them to get one Senator to back their Speaker candidate.

Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka (centre). [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

They include seven MPs from UDM, three from Pamoja Africa Alliance, Maendeleo Chap Chap,(2), Upia two and one from the National Alliance Party.

With the resignation of Mr Wetang'ula, the Senate race is a tie with Kenya Kwanza and Azimio having 23 senators each.

Nairobi County Azimio leaders took the opportunity to reprimand parties that ditched the coalition after the declaration of Dr Ruto as president-elect.

While accusing them of disloyalty, the leaders urged the leaders to "come back home" so that they can fulfill their promises to Kenyans.

"None of us is available for sale. We only have one message," said Nairobi Senator-elect and ODM Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna.

"If you were elected within Azimio, you are a fraud of you joined any other coalition. We are not beggars and will not run away from our responsibility. We shall remain in Azimio we are not greedy. The greedy ones are the ones rushing to be bought," he said.

Kanu Secretary-General Nick Salat said: "We have been directed to support Azimio in Parliament and we will support our nominees by all means."