Bomet East Member of Parliament Beatrice Kones has bowed out of active politics opening the race to succeed her tight with many aspirants gunning for the seat.
Ms Kones, a Jubilee legislator, is serving her second successive term, having succeeded her late husband Kipkalya Kones who perished in a plane crash in Narok along with former Sotik MP Lorna Laboso in Kojanga area of Narok county on June, 10, 2008.
Mrs Kones was subsequently defeated by Mr Benard Bett in 2013 before she reclaimed the seat in 2017.
She is the first Rift Valley MP to publicly announce retirement from politics, with those before her being side-tracked through death, the ballot, or sickness.
“I have played my part in politics in the cumulative 34 years that my late husband and I have led the people of Bomet constituency; initiated several development projects and immensely contributed to the socio-economic and political development of the county [Bomet],” said Mrs Kones.
While making the pronouncement over the weekend at a function held at her Kaporuso home in Kembu ward, Bomet county, Mrs Kones said there was a need for generational shift in Kenya’s leadership.
Mr Kones, a former powerful minister in the former President Daniel Moi’s regime, served as the area MP from 1988 after succeeding former assistant minister Isaac Kipkorir Salat.
His (Kones’) parliamentary term was only interrupted in 2002 general election with the voters picking Kanu Secretary General Nick Salat who served for one term before Mr Kones recaptured the seat in the 2007 poll.
“I wish to thank the people of Bomet constituency and by extension the county for the support they have given us over the years. I will be available for consultation when required, but I am taking the backseat to concentrate on family affairs,” said Mrs Kones in an interview with the Nation .
It raises the question of whether her move marks the end of an era, or the passing on of the leadership mantle to a youthful member of the Kones’ family in the constituency leadership which they have dominated for over three decades.
It also effectively averts a repeat of political duel witnessed in the last general election where Mrs Kones was pitted against her eldest son Mr Kevin Kalya who ran on a Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) ticket while she ran on a Jubilee one.
Mr Kalya is one of those angling to take over the leadership mantle in the next general election in what is shaping up as a crowded field and fight of the titans in the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party primaries.
“I will be making my second stab at elective politics and this time around, I have the backing of my entire family led by my mother who is retiring. In the last general election, we were protagonists, but this time we are on the same page (politically),” Mr Kalya said in an interview.
However, he sought to project an image of his own man in the race with many candidates lining up to battle it out in the UDA primaries.
“I am not a project, as some people are claiming as I was born into a political family and have contested for the same seat before (last general election). I will endeavour to complete the projects initiated in the last five years and start new ones… and I am confident that I have the backing of the electorate,” said Mr Kalya.
But he has to contend with front runners including Mr Rolex Laitoriat Sirmah, Mr Richard Yegon, Mr Justus Maina, Mr Kiprotich Maina and Mr Diaz Kimutai among others in the UDA primaries.
“In a free and fair nomination, I am confident of delivering the Bomet East parliamentary ticket on a UDA ticket. The poor state of infrastructural facilities, especially the roads network that is the worst in the county with lack of tarmac over the years is an area of serious concern to the electorate” said Mr Sirmah.
Mr Sirmah, a businessman turned politician said the poor performance by candidates in Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KSCE) and high university and middle level colleges dropout rate for lack of fees has for decades curtailed professional progression among the youth in the region.
Mr Yegon, who is making a third stab in the parliamentary seat, said failure by successive leadership to attract investors to roll out value addition of fresh farm produce in the highly agriculturally endowed region has led to exploitation of farmers by middlemen.
“Bomet constituency is synonymous with vibrant politicians, but it is not matched by development as the area is one of the least developed in the South Rift region. There is a need for a new crop of development conscious leaders to take over so as to create employment opportunities for the youth,” said Mr Yegon.
Mr Yegon added, “For the third time in a row, I am gunning for the Bomet parliamentary seat with confidence that this time round, the voters will rally behind my manifesto.”
The candidates have been crisscrossing the constituency pitching their development agendas in a constituency whose population is increasingly composed of jobless youth.
