COUNTY POLITICS: ‘Absentee’ tag haunts Ainabkoi MP Chepkonga's re-election

One of the key defenders of the Jubilee administration in Parliament is facing the battle of his life in his quest to be re-elected on August 8. 

Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga is bracing himself for a tough battle against six aspirants all keen to unseat him.

He is facing accusations of focusing too much on parliamentary work where he is the Chairperson of Justice and Legal Affairs Committee and forgetting to represent the people who sent him there.

Mr Chepkonga, who is eyeing a second term in the National Assembly, is considered by many as a vibrant politician, who will go against all odds to retain his seat.

CHEPKONGA CALM
The incumbent, elected via the defunct United Republican Party (URP) in 2013, however, is ready to face any challenge thrown at him.

He says his vigour has been felt both on the ground and in the House and expects to be easily re-elected.

He will defend his seat under the Jubilee Party.

“My track record speaks for itself. I will defend my seat and I believe the great people of Ainabkoi have confidence in me and they will give me a second chance to lead them. No doubt about that,” said Mr Chepkonga.

The MP is considered a close ally of Deputy President William Ruto and was among high profile individuals who fought tirelessly to get him out of the jaws of the International Criminal Court (ICC).

The DP was among six individuals, including President Uhuru Kenyatta, accused at the ICC of perpetrating crimes against humanity during the 2007 post-election violence.

All were acquitted for lack of evidence.

AWAY FROM HOME

Born on September 4, 1964, Mr Chepkonga is banking on his activeness in Parliament.

Although his critics say he has not transferred that to his constituency.

His constituents, however, say he scores way down below average on local presence and accessibility as he is said to have deserted them.

“As the people of Ainabkoi, we feel that Mr Chepkonga has forgotten us. He has actually abandoned us for the past five years. It is during this electioneering period that his presence is being felt,” said Mr Benson Kiprono, a resident from Olaare.

At least six aspirants - five of them men - have declared an interest in the seat.

They include William Chepkut, a long-time personal aide to former powerful Cabinet Minister Nicholas Biwott, who is making a second attempt at the seat, after losing to Mr Chepkonga in the last poll.

Others are Mr Wesley Chirchir, Bob Tanui, Florence Lagat, Robert Cheruiyot and Muktain Chris, all of whom are seeking the Jubilee ticket.

Mr Paul Karanja, who resides in the constituency, believes Mr Chepkonga will retain his seat in the August 8 General Election.

FIGHTING POVERTY

He dismisses other aspirants in the race saying that Mr Chepkonga has an upper hand as the Chairperson of the House Justice and Legal Affairs Committee.

“Majority of the electorate prefer Mr Chepkonga because of his role as the chairperson of Justice and Legal Affairs Committee. Mr Chepkut is still considered a ‘spanner boy’ of Mr Biwott, no one takes him seriously while the rest are greenhorns in politics who still have a long way to go,” he says.

Mr Chepkut has served Mr Biwott for more than 20 years.

He vows to put his 2013 woes behind and is keen on wrestling the seat from Mr Chepkonga.

He has also shifted his political affiliation from Mr Biwott’s National Vision (NVP) to Jubilee Party.

In the last elections, the MP garnered 22,328 votes ahead of Mr Chepkut’s 7,826.

Born 56 years ago at Katuiyo, Keiyo South, Mr Chepkut says that if elected he will do things differently.

Mr Chepkut will face off with the incumbent during the party primaries set for this month.

Last year, he was endorsed by a group of Kalenjin elders to vie for the seat against Chepkonga.

In an interview with the Nation, Mr Chepkut says if he is elected, he will fight for equal opportunities for area residents by empowering the locals economically in a bid to fight poverty and ignorance.

“I am one person who will always listen to the concerns of my constituents. I also value community participation in all initiatives. I am God fearing and I want to be a servant leader and not a master dictating people always. I was born to serve and protect,” he says.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

The latest entrant to the race is Wesley Chirchir, 53, who is also seeking to clinch the Jubilee ticket.

Mr Chirchir, a public administrator, says that his biggest priority is to empower the youth and women, if elected.

He says that he has qualities in leadership having worked in various institutions of governance locally and internationally.

“If I am elected, I will ensure that I resolve the issue of unemployment in Ainabkoi constituency because 50 per cent of our youths are unemployed.

"This is a very worrying figure. Women play a big role in our society and I will empower them through activities like table banking,” said Mr Chirchir.

Born in 1980, Mrs Florence Lagat is a graduate of Moi University where she acquired a degree in Human Resource Management.
According to Mrs Lagat, she is going against the grain by taking on men who are in the race.