William Ntimama's daughter Lydia Masikonde has been blessed and endorsed by Maasai elders to run for the woman representative in Narok county.
Ntimama, a powerful Maasai icon and spokesman, was former Heritage Minister.
The popular Ilnyangusi age set endowed Masikonde with powers to take the county seat. Ntimama belonged to that age set.
The ceremony was conducted at the family's Motonyi home, on the outskirts of Narok town.
The elders performed rituals giving her authority to represent the Maasai community's interests and giving her a clean bill of health.
After the ceremony, Lydia was hosted by residents of Naapasha who also endorsed her for the seat.
During the meeting speaker after speaker expressed confidence in her, saying she has held leadership positions for a long time and has the experience for the woman rep's job.
Former Narok town council chairman Kirimpoti ole Sadera said Masikonde is best placed to unite the cosmopolitan county and bring about development. He said she has inititied adding that the aspirant has initiated a lot of development projects without favouring a single community.
She said that if elected on ODM ticket, to offer leadership based on social justice and fairness noting that the communal equity in socio-economic development.
“I am ready to transform this cosmopolitan county, if given the mandate. I promised to prioritize consolidation and mobilization of resources and enhance resource allocation to ensure equity to all,” said Lydia.
She also promised to empower women and youth and boost education especially for the girl child.
The aspirant also endorsed ODM leader for Presidency in the next year’s polls saying the former Prime Minister is still a popular leader and would beat his opponents hands down.
“Raila has a national outlook and his experience qualifies him for the top job. He is capable of fighting tribalism and implementing the real democratic change in the country,” she said.
She enjoys much support from the youth and her popularity is how she usually approach to issues in a soberly way.
This is the third time she trying luck in the seat.
Lydia studied degree in Tourism Management in Nairobi University.
She joined politics in 2008, when she was nominated by ODM to the now-defunct Narok County Council.
She shot to the limelight when she beat men councilors to become chairperson of the then powerful Audit Committee.
(Edited by V. Graham)
