For 47-year-old Ratib Ahmed Boitone, it is a remarkable story of resilience and hope, yielding to a lifelong dream of public service.
He first ventured into the murky waters of elective politics in 2007. After four attempts at the ballot, Lady Luck finally smiled on the aspiring MCA for Kisumu’s Nyalenda ‘A’ ward in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
He trounced his arch-rival, the incumbent Ojwang Ogendo, to clinch the ODM ticket.
Fondly referred to as ‘Babake’ by his ardent supporters, he garnered 503 votes to take the flag against Mr Ogendo’s 206.
ODM Nyalenda A ward MCA aspirant Ratib Ahmed Boitone.
“This is my fourth time consistently vying since 2007. It gives me great joy that the long-awaited victory is here,” an elated Mr Boitone said.
Mr Boitone first contested for a seat in the defunct municipal council but lost to his then opponent Jack Onunga.
“In the introduction stage, I backed off after the primaries, never proceeded to the General Election. I was still raw in politics and didn’t know what to do after losing,” he said.
The astute businessman, who has previously run a wholesale and distribution business for British American Tobacco and Coca-Cola would make a return to the ballot in 2013 for the seat now called ward representative or member of the county assembly (MCA) following the adoption of the 2010 Constitution.
He contested against Mr Onunga for the second time, losing in the ODM primaries. After the loss, he defected to the Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya to face Mr Onunga in the polls. He lost again, allowing Mr Onunga to become the first MCA of Nyalenda.
According to iMuslim.name, a website that provides a vast database on Islamic names, his other name Ratib means ‘regular, arranger’.
In 2017, after losing to Mr Ogendo in the party primaries, he vied as an independent candidate but was drowned by the ODM wave.
Nyalenda is predominantly occupied by the Sagam clan, who settled in the area ages ago, but it is also somewhat cosmopolitan and is home to the Kisii, Luhya, Kamba, among others.
Ratib Ahmed Boitone. He will vie for the Nyalenda 'A' ward MCA seat on an ODM ticket.
And now he has overcome the discriminatory politics of ‘Jodak’ (Kassagam natives) and ‘Jopango’ (outsiders).
With the ODM ticket in hand, in a region that heavily supports the party, the final victory in the August elections appears within sight for him.
“I attribute my win to the political goodwill and good rapporteur with my constituents. I haven’t campaigned much but I was overwhelmingly supported for my consistency in philanthropy and promotion of small-scale business,” he said.
“The introduction of new technology in the primaries has also made it tricky for my opponents to manipulate the process.”
He promised that if elected, one of his top priorities will be healthcare.
“A sick nation is an unproductive nation. I will seek as a bottom-line agenda to ensure through the county government and partners we equip our health centres and provide health insurance cover to residents,” he said.
He will also focus on education and insecurity, as the area is notorious for juvenile gangs.
