•Possible contenders eyeing the coveted seat include Lawyers Kiprop Rutto Marrimoi and Daniel Kipkemoi Murkomen, Eliud Kiptoo Lorpesa and Tim Kipchumba among others.
•Wakili Kiprop Marrirmoi is not a stranger to the senatorial contest. Coming from a brutal electioneering contest which saw him come a distant third with 2,382 votes as Kipchumba Murkomen successfully defended his seat after beating the outgoing governor, Alex Tolgos and the lawyer.
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With Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen set to resign and join President William Ruto’s cabinet, the race to succeed him in the Senate has already begun.
Possible contenders eyeing the coveted seat include Lawyers Kiprop Rutto Marrimoi and Daniel Kipkemoi Murkomen, Eliud Kiptoo Lorpesa and Tim Kipchumba among others.
Wakili Kiprop Marrirmoi is not a stranger to the senatorial contest. Coming from a brutal electioneering contest which saw him come a distant third with 2,382 votes as Kipchumba Murkomen successfully defended his seat after beating the outgoing governor, Alex Tolgos and the lawyer.
Kiprop is the managing partner at Marrirmoi and Company Advocates and has experience of more than a decade in legal practice with his most prominent case being his representation of KANU against Jubilee Party for using its colors.
He has been advising the government on matters environment and climate change. His conversation effortshas earned him the nickname ‘wakili wa mazingira’. Lately, he appeared in President Ruto’s legal team in the just concluded presidential election. Pundits argue that that this might have been a strategy to gain the party’s support in the event Murkomen heads to cabinet. This has so far made him a front runner in the race to succeed Murkomen at the Senate.
Eliud Lorpesa harbored ambitions to vie for the senatorial seat in the just concluded August general elections but stepped down during the ruling party’s nominations. The Moi University alumnus later worked in the UDA EMC county secretariat to successfully deliver victory to the party. The party won the national elections and at the county level scooped majority of the seats. He is thus likely to enjoy the party’s support should there be a re-run.
From his social profile, Daniel Murkomen hails from Murkutwo in Marakwet East Constituency. Like Kiprop, he is as a lawyer who currently works at the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice where he also serves as the President of the holding-over programme. He has previously worked for former Murang’a County attorney Mbiyu Kamau and the constitutional lawyer and lecturer Duncan Okubasu.
He was part of the campaign team for the current Law Society of Kenya President, Eric Theuri. He has been part of several legal teams’ in constitutional and criminal cases although leadership seems to be his major acumen. He was part of the governing council of the Kenya University Students Organization (KUSO) in 2017 after being successfully elected as Chairperson of the Law Students Association at Kabarak University where he pursued his law degree.
The 25 year-old has been pushing for peace building and the revamping of security measures in addressing cattle rustling along Kerio Valley. He is the proponent of the ‘End Banditry and Marakwet Lives Matter’ campaign. His name is also synonymous with legal aid and civic awareness where he seeks to help the marginalised get access to justice and advocating for good governance in the society. Murkomen also works with Counter Terrorism Policing Kenya and is a member of the National Legal Aid Service, NAMATI and Kenya National Debate Council. The political greenhorn and the current Deputy President went to the same high school raising speculations as Rigathi’s potential pick to be UDA’s nominee for the by-election. A political career looks very promising for should he run for office.
Questworks co-founder, Tim Kipchumba has been touted as an aspirant for the Senate seat. The decorated entrepreneur and real estate developer has also been leading Mentorthon, an organization which seeks to inspire students to explore their potential through positive mentorship and connecting them with the next generation of leaders. Locals say that his devout commitment to realising social and economic change for the betterment of the society is what Elgeyo Marakwet needs. The political novice has a massive network that if tapped may give other contestants a run for their money.
Other heavy weights likely to join the race include former Governor Alex Tolgos, Lawrence Mutwol who narrowly lost in August to Kangogo Bowen the Marakwet East Constituency seat, former Marakwet MP Kisang among others. The county remains optimistic that its senator and de facto leader will make it to the Cabinet list but who will fit in his shoes. Time will tell.
The author Thomas Chesire is a resident of Elgeyo Marakwet County.