Sons and daughters of West Pokot

Prof John Lonyangapuo.... the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Works is one of the high ranking professionals from West Pokot county.

Before being appointed to the plum job of PS, the mathematics professor was the Principal of Chepkoilel University College in Eldoret.

When he joined the constituent college of Moi University, there were only 12 students from the Pokot community and by the time he was leaving five years later the figure had increased to more than 1, 000 thanks to a programme he initiated called Academic Outreach.

He is said to be interested in the senate seat and will be battling it out with Rev. Julius Murgor and Information and Communications Minister Samuel Poghisio.

Chepkumun Kevinnah Loyatum... is the Chief Executive Officer, National Council of NGOs.

The 31-year-old former TV journalist hails from Chepareria in the county.

She is an Electronic Media graduate of Daystar University. She is a beneficiary of the American Christian charity that sponsored her education after finishing her form four education at Chepareria Secondary School.

Back at home she is spearheading a girl-child education programme through rescue centres for girls who have dropped out of school either because of early pregnancies or lack of fees.

The centred provide vocational training and have gained popularity through the now famous Pokot beadworks that help the girls earn a decent income for their work.

Under an organisation called Pamoja Tupunguze Njaa Pokot and Accountable Leadership Forum, Chepkumun says there has been a marked improvement in the famine situation in the county.

For the last nine years her organisation has championed integrated farming as an alternative source of income in the war against cattle rustling.

Lilian Plapan... her name might sound unfamiliar to many nationwide but it is a household name in West Pokot.

The community has recognised her as a development conscious person, promoting women’s rights and fighting retrogressive practices like Female Genital Mutilation and early forced marriages.

She is among the women who attended the Beijing conference in 1995. She was among the first women to join university in West Pokot and has a master’s degree in rural social development from the University of Reading in Britain.

She has rescued many girls on the run from the bad cultural practices. She is a part time lecturer at the University of Nairobi’s Extra Mural Centre in Kapenguria.

Ms Plapan was among a group of African women who started the anti- FGM campaign in 1984 in Senegal.

At the moment she is the chairperson of zones 5 and 6 in Northern and Eastern Africa sub region on FGM.

The zones includes countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, Egypt and Sudan. Plapan, 61, works under an NGO she started called Setat Women Organisation based in Kapenguria Township.