Over the years, it has become common for close relatives of deceased or retired politicians to run for the vacant seats. It's also entrenched in African culture.
There's a sense that bestowing a seat or a ticket is the 'right thing to do' to honour a predecessor.
In most instances, it would be the party, the family, or even the clan that endorses a family member to run for the seat and 'carry on the legacy'.
While many in political circles fought to carve out a niche for themselves and earned votes on merit, a good number of them 'inherited' the positions, albeit through a kind of democratic process.
Critics say, however, hereditary politics has negative consequences for the country's democratic legitimacy.
Even in the by-elections scheduled for May 18, several candidates are close relatives of the politicians who occupied them earlier.
The family of Paul Koinange has picked Lenah Koinange, daughter of former Cabinet minister Mbiyu Koinange, to vie for the Kiambaa seat on the Jubilee Party ticket.
Interestingly, 10 close relatives had expressed interest in the seat and the family had to make a choice.
“It was a tough decision but we all agreed to support Lenah, who is Koinange’s last born,” family spokesman Leonard Karuga said.
Susan Njeri Waititu, the widow of Francis Munyua popularly known as Wakapee, will now fly the Jubilee Party flag in the Juja by-election after she won the primary.
Bonchari MP John Oyioka’s widow Teresa Bitutu has received support run for the seat on the United Democratic Alliance ticket in the May 18 by-election.
In March, the family of Garissa Senator Mohamed Yusuf Haji, who died, endorsed his second-born son, Abdul Mohamed Haji, for the Garissa Senate seat. He won the seat unposed and has already been sworn ion.
Family spokesman Bashir Yussuf Haji said they endorsed him to take over the position to which his father was elected.
He said the choice was discussed by all subclans and an appeal was made to residents to consider sending Abdul to the Senate unopposed.
Members of the Samawathal community endorsed the proposed candidate and called on the Abdwaq and Aulian clans to support Abdul, as a show of respect to his father.
Abdul was unopposed and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has declared him as the senator for Garissa county.
During the March 4 by-election, Jubilee’s Lucy Ng'endo, the widow of former Huruma MCA Peter Kiiru, emerged the winner.
Political analyst Daniel Orogo said there are many reasons why seat inheritance is becoming a common phenomenon.
Orogo said widows, brothers or relatives of a deceased politician want to take advantage of the sympathy vote.
He added that voters often believe no 'outsider' can accomplish the pledges and the development agendas of the dead politician as well as someone coming from within the family.
“Political parties also prefer to sponsor the candidates within the deceased's' families, believing it would be an easy way to retain a stronghold,” Orogo said.
Advice Mundalo, a governance expert and political commentator, said the trend of the relatives of a deceased person assuming (usually) his position is not new.
“It is part of African culture inculcated deep in the roots of our heritage. In fact, in some cases even wives and husbands were inherited by family members upon the demise of one,” he explained.
Mundalo added that Africans would sometimes feel the best way to mourn is by returning the position to the family.
“This does not in any way work against other contenders as proven cases also exist where a close family member failed in by- elections,” he said.
Mundalo added that it would be wrong to say the democratic process is infringed
“We cannot term it to be less democratic as the people liberty to choose from the family just as they have liberty to choose away from the family,” he added.
Orogo said, however, the politics of seat inheritance has serious negative implications for democracy.
“In many cases, political parties have opted not to conduct party primaries in their strongholds but instead endorse a relative or wife to be the candidate.
Many fresh-minded candidates and those with alternative leadership ideas and agendas are automatically locked out from competitive party elections and overall democratic processes,” he explained.
Orogo that such decisions spell political doom for voters who are also denied a prime opportunity to make a choice and participate in the democratic process of a party nomination.
“The politics of seat inheritance is not far from the concept of continued legacies of establishing political kingdoms, close to autocracy, even closer to dictatorship. Democracy doesn't flourish in such political settings,” he added.
In his maiden speech after being sworn in, Haji gave thanks for the support his family received after the death of his father.
Vihiga Senator George Khaniri said running unopposed was a clear demonstration the people of Garissa county had confidence in Haji.
“I came to Parliament under similar circumstances many years ago after losing my father, who was the MP for Hamisi constituency. He died in the arms of your father who was then a provincial commissioner. He was with your father at a function when he collapsed and he rushed him to hospital in Kisumu,” Khaniri said.
The Vihiga senator added that the deceased Haji led campaigns to have him elected as MP for Hamisi.
Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr said Haji “joined the list of people who became senators by fate".
Baringo Senator Gideon Moi is also among politicians who won election after the exits of their fathers.
Gideon took over as MP for Baringo Central after his father, President Daniel Moi, retired from active politics in 2002.
Gideon inherited the seat from his father and held it for one term, between 2002 and 2007, before he was defeated by Sammy Mwaita in the 2007 General Election.
He made his political comeback in 2013 when he won the Baringo Senate seat on the Kanu ticket.
The death of Kipkalya Kones alongside Lorna Chepkemoi Laboso in a plane crash on June 10, 2008, triggered two parliamentary by-elections, one in Bomet and the other in Sotik constituencies on September 25 that year.
In Bomet constituency, Kipkalya Kones' widow Beatrice won her husband's seat on an ODM ticket.
In neighbouring Sotik constituency, Laboso's sister, Joyce Cherono Laboso won the seat.
In Naivasha, Paul Kihara was the first MP for Naivasha constituency when it was created in 1997. He served until February 2003 when he died in a South African Hospital after a long illness.
During the by-election, his widow Jayne Kihara won the seat.
(Edited by V. Graham)
