• Days after the cremation of Okoth the race to succeed him was on.
Image: JACK OWUOR
Kibra MP seat is now vacant following a declaration by National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi on Wednesday.
This sets the stage for the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission to conduct a by-election.
The seat fell vacant following the death of MP Ken Okoth after battling colorectal cancer.
The lawmaker was cremated on August 3.
Muturi invoked Section 16 (3) of the Elections Act which now paves way for a by-election to replace the departed legislator.
Already a number of politicians have expressed interest in the seat, ushering in an aura of competitive politics around the coveted seat.
Okoth’s younger brother Imran, ex-Raila Odinga aide Eliud Owalo, Ketta Onyango - former Kibra CDF chair; and Sarang’ombe MCA Pius K’Otieno have been tipped to vie.
Though he has not openly declared his bid, Owalo has showed signs of gunning for the seat having resigned from ODM officially on Tuesday.
Word is that former Kasarani MP Elizabeth Ongoro is also keen on throwing her hat into the ring.
There are also undertones that Okoth’s wife Monica may contest.Eyes are on how ODM would treat the succession, especially with the focus on whether it will back a member of Okoth’s family as has been in other recent cases.
With the declaration of the vacancy, it remanins to be seen whether Jubilee will live up to the words of Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja who said the party would not field a candidate.