Narok's political landscape

MPs William ole Ntimama (ODM), Nkoidila ole Lankas (ODM) and Gideon Konchella (PNU). Photos/FILE

WILLIAM ole NTIMAMA
Narok North

National Heritage Minister William ole Ntimama is the most senior and longest serving MP in Narok.

A former chairman of Narok County Council, he entered Parliament in 1988 and has distinguished himself as a fierce defender of Maasai land rights, earning himself the title ‘King of the Maasai’.

Narok North produces large quantities of wheat, barley and potatoes as well as livestock products. 

With fast-growing Narok Town, a sprawling commercial centre and a tourism hub with world class hotels, plus a couple of colleges, it has the most developed infrastructure in the county.

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NKOIDILA ole LANKAS
Narok South

The former teacher and District Commissioner was first elected in 2007 on an ODM ticket. He is a former clerk of Narok County Council.

The constituency, which borders Narok North, Bomet, Chepalungu, Kuresoi, Kilgoris and Tanzania, is home to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, the Mau Forest and Loita Naimina Enkiyo Forest.

Apart from 100 kilometre tarmac of the Narok-Bomet road and the Narok-Maasai Mara road, huge swathes of the constituency are accessed only through earth roads and by air. Sections have no cellphone network.

It has one flour milling factory, the only industry in the constituency and is home to two main communities, the Maasai (the majority), and the Kipsigis and Tugen sub-groups of the Kalenjin.

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GIDEON KONCHELLA
Kilgoris

The retired army colonel and formerly Immigration Minister was first elected to Parliament on a Narc ticket in 2002, beating then powerful Internal Security Minister Julius Sunkuli.

In the 2007 elections, ethnic clashes scuttled the counting of votes and ballot papers were burned in the chaos. Mr Konchella was re-elected on a PNU ticket in a by-election.

The constituency borders Bomet, Kisii, Nyamira and Migori counties as well as Tanzania. In spite of having only 10 kilometres of tarmac road, Kilgoris has sugar and tea factories, while nearly the entire constituency is arable, producing a lot of maize.

Recent discovery of gold in Lolgorian promises to increase the wealth of both the constituency and the county.