Khaniri exits House after record 26 years
Vihiga Senator George Khaniri will be missed in Parliament for the next five years, unless fate turns fortunes in his favour.
The long-serving legislator, who has served 26 years, was first elected to Parliament in 1996 at the age of 24 years to represent Hamisi constituency in a by-election following the demise of his father, Nicodemus Khaniri.
He served as MP uninterrupted for 17 years until 2013, when elections were held under the 2010 Constitution that paved the way for devolved governments. Khaniri, 50, resolved to contest for the Senate seat, which he won becoming the first senator and went on to win a second term in the 2017 election.
During the August 9 General Election, Khaniri contested the gubernatorial race on a United Democratic Party ticket, but lost to incumbent Dr Wilber Ottichilo of the Orange party.
He came third after garnering 28,496 votes against Ottichillo’s 82, 313. Moses Akaranga of Progressive Party of Kenya was second with 42,432, while Amani National Congress’s Alfred Agoi came fourth with 26,088 votes.
After two and half decades as a career politician, it will definitely take him time to adjust to the scenario he now finds himself in.
