Support from high places has failed to stop the Liberal Party from all but ending the political career of Lucy Gichuhi

DESPITE praise from Malcolm Turnbull, John Howard, Steven Marshall and Simon Birmingham South Australia Senator Lucy Gichuhi’s political career looks doomed.

LUCY Gichuhi’s colourful political career looks set to be relatively short lived after her adoptive party relegated her to the fourth spot on the South Australian Senate ticket for the next election.

The Kenyan-born senator, who was thrust into Australian politics after Bob Day was ousted from the Senate in 2016, joined the Liberal Party earlier this year after refusing to join with the Australian Conservatives which had merged with Day’s Family First Party.

Senator Gichuhi was proudly spruiked by now Premier Steven Marshall and SA Senator, and Federal Government minister Simon Birmingham after Premier Malcolm Turnbull announced her membership to the Liberal Party in February.

But a raft of unflattering headlines last month and a strong push from Adelaide City councillor and SA Liberal Party vice-president Alex Antic appears to have shortened her political career dramatically.

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Last month the Sunday Mail revealed Senator Gichuhi would pay back thousands of dollars after she billed taxpayers to fly two family members to Adelaide for her 50th birthday party.

The next day it was revealed she had billed taxpayers more than $12,000 for five trips to Sydney for “electorate business” despite being more than 1000km away from her Adelaide office.

It came on the same day it emerged that had she recently described her $200,000 annual salary as “not a lot of money” on a Kenyan TV program in January.

On Saturday morning Liberal party members voted to put Senator Gichuhi in an unwinnable position — behind current Senators Anne Ruston and David Fawcett and Mr Antic — on the Senate ticket.

The former accountant, Australia’s first African senator, was volunteering as a lawyer for the Women’s Legal Service before she entered politics.

Last month former Prime Minister John Howard threw his weight behind Senator Gichuhi’s bid for the third position on the party’s Senate ticket.

State Liberal President John Olsen welcomed the election of the Senate candidates.

“The Liberal Party has a very strong Senate team that will contest the Federal Election in South Australia,” Mr Olsen said.

“All four candidates have a depth of experience and are committed to representing the interests of South Australians in the Senate and ensuring the Government delivers on its long-term plan for a stronger economy.”

Senator Gichuhi was contacted for comment.