Former Ruto’s staff Esther Anyieni sworn in as nominated senator
Former President William Ruto's staff Esther Anyieni has been sworn in as nominated Senator replacing former Narok Woman Representative Soipan Tuya who has since taken up a Cabinet slot.
Tuya had been nominated as Senator after dropping out of Narok governor seat race in favour of Patrick Ole Ntutu.
In a gazette notice dated November 1, Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chairman Wafula Chebukati picked Anyieni to replace Tuya after she was sworn in as Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary.
"The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission in the exercise of the powers conferred by articles 88(4), 90 and 98 (1) (b) of the Constitution of Kenya, section 4 of the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission Act 2011, section 37 of the Elections Act, 2011 and Regulations 56B of the Elections (General) Regulations 2012, amends gazette Notice No.10537 of 2022 Vol. CXXIV - No. 181 published on September 7, 2022," said Chebukati in reference to an earlier notice that had announced Tuya's initial nomination to the Senate.
"In the second schedule as specified below: delete Roselinda Soipan Tuya and insert Esther Anyieni Okenyuri. The deleted nominee stands excluded as a member of the Senate," Wafula said in the gazette notice.
EAnyieni was part of the Kenya Kwanza presidential campaign team and was the founder of the women for Ruto political faction.
Tuya thanks Ruto
Tuya who thanked President William Ruto for appointing her CS said she dropped her bid for governor with her head held high, having done her best with the limited resources she had as Woman Rep.
"When we were elected in 2013 as Woman Representatives, we had zero funds. We fought and we got Kshh40 million annually, which is very little, especially for a vast county like Narok, but still, we had to accept and utilise it to make an impact," said the mother of two.
She is married to former Narok County Assembly Majority leader Stephen ole Kudate.
Among the programs she ran in her docket were issuing water tanks, sanitary towels, and funds to empower vulnerable groups such as women, youth, and people with disabilities.
She said under the National Government Affirmative Action Fund, she supported 100 bright students from poor backgrounds who are now in secondary schools.
She describes herself as privileged having had opportunities that are not easily accessible to women in her Maasai community.
Before joining politics, she worked in different capacities for various government and civil society organisations, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Kituo cha Sheria and the former Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, and as a United Nations Volunteer Specialist.
