Leaders across the political divide have paid tribute to the late Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, eulogizing him as a peacemaker and a patriot.
The leaders joined thousands of mourners at Arap Moi Secondary School in Bartabwa, Baringo North, Baringo County, to bid farewell to the legislator who had a stellar political career, serving as a Baringo North Member of Parliament for three terms before switching to the senate.
Top leadership of the executive led by President William Ruto and the legislature represented by both speakers of the two houses all made calls for emulating the great leader who never indulged in abusive politics.
President Dr. William Samoei Ruto said the late senator was a staunch Christian and a patriot who played a crucial role in the restoration of peace in the Kerio Valley that has witnessed reduced cases of banditry by 70 percent.
“He was a peacemaker and was a great resource during the 2007 negotiations that led to the grand coalition government after the post-election violence,” said the president.
President Ruto said Cheptumo was respectable and that being elected four times is a testimony of his goodness.
He added that Cheptumo made sure he fulfilled his pledge of steadily securing the region, noting that immediately after being elected, he dispatched 2000 police officers and 3000 Kenya Defence Forces soldiers to help restore peace.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi termed the late Cheptumo an epitome of humility, saying the area was lucky to produce great leaders like him and general Daudi Tonje.
Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula gave a good history of the late legislator, saying the parliamentary record has no any day that Cheptumo was brought to order by the speaker for the 15 years he served as an MP.
On his part the Senate Speaker Hon, Amason Kingi said the country had lost a respectable person and went on to eulogize the fallen senator as a peace ambassador.
Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina who represented the minority in the senate alongside ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna, said Cheptumo did a lot for his electorates and urged for a speedy constitution of the IEBC so that the void left by his departure can be filled.
He also called for a balanced and measured development across all the 47 counties and criticized the approach where development is done when the president visits an area.
He urged the leaders to utilize their time in serving the electorate, saying that the time on earth was short.
Both majority leaders of the senate and the National Assembly, Haron Cheruiyot and Kimani Ichungwa, termed the late senator as respectful, humble, polite, and committed to his work.
On politics, both speakers praised the president for reaching out to his opponents and called on Kenyans and leaders to emulate him.
The leaders praised the broad-based government, saying it will stabilize the country, with Baringo North Member of Parliament Joseph Makilap urging the majority leader to table the NADCO report in parliament to be enacted into law and legalise the political marriage.
The late Cheptumo is survived by his wife Hannah Wendot Cheptumo and three children: Anthony Kipchirchir, Jean Jeptoo, and Andrew Rotich.
The late Cheptumo was a lawyer by profession and worked with Kenya Commercial Bank and Central Bank of Kenya before venturing into private legal practice in 2005. He also served as an Assistant Minister for Justice, National Cohesion, and Constitutional Affairs between the years 2007 and 2013 after he was elected a member of parliament for the first time in 2007.
By Christopher Kiprop
