Senator Moi mourns late Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim

Baringo Senator Gideon Moi has mourned the late Baringo South MP Grace Jelagat Kipchoim as a fearless leader who served people with dedication and commitment.

"Kipchoim, as a leader, had the nerve of steel always fighting for her people fearlessly to address the issue of insecurity which over the years troubled her people," said Senator Moi in his message of condolence.

"Baringo County and Baringo South in particular has lost a leader who passionately pursued the interest of the people even while facing personal challenges," added the senator.

The second term MP was the first Endorois woman to be elected in Kenya's parliament.

Endorois is a minority community that was evicted from its ancestral land around Lake Bogoria in the 1970s to pave was for the creation of Lake Baringo National Park.

Prior to the 2013 General Elections, the late Kipchoim was instrumental in championing the rights of her community to reclaim the constituency, which was still grappling with insecurity.

She launched spirited campaigns against the rising cases of insecurity in the area up to the 2013 general elections and was able to endear herself to the people and become the first woman MP to be elected in the history of the community.

In 2017 during the August general elections, she was ailing from colon cancer ut residents of Baringo south re-elected her as Member of Parliament.

During the Jubilee Party primaries, voters stood by her even when she could not wake up from her hospital bed to vote.

In 2017, without staging a single campaign rally, the late Kipchoim garnered 9,299 votes against her closest competitor Charles Kamuren's (Kanu) 8,905 votes.

Other candidates included Amos Olempaka (ODM) who got had 5,645, Cynthia Kiplchilat (Maendeleo Chap Chap) and Bundotich Cheboiyow (Independent).

After her election, The Standard interviewed her from her hospital bed in Nairobi where she said "My political journey has not been easy, amid illness. This is God's making. He makes things work for our good. I am thankful to the electorate for making me proud once more."

Her supporters and members of the Baringo South Constituency Development Fund (CDF) committee took charge of running the constituency and initiating various development projects for the benefit of the electorate.

The projects won her trust among the electorate, making it easier for her to be re-elected.

In 2016/17 evaluation reports conducted by National Government Constituencies Development Fund Board (NGCDF), Baringo South was ranked position 15 out of 290 constituencies in proper funds management.

"We could not desert her in sickness and she had proved to many that she was a capable leader-her development record was enough for us to elect her in absentia," said Joel Chebon, a resident who eulogized the deceased as a leader who was dedicated in restoring sanity in the insecurity prone constituency.

She made insecurity her main agenda after being elected for the first time – rubbing the Jubilee leadership the wrong way when she accused the government of letting her people down by failing to address cattle rustling that had claimed many lives and left hundreds displaced from their homes.

Leaders from the county led by Baringo Central Member of Parliament Joshua Kandie described the late MP as a servant of the people who had an ear for all.

"She worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people of Baringo South, death robbed us a true and passionate leader who despite the condition walked with her people at heart," said Kandie.

He could not forget the role she played in trying to bring sanity in the insecurity prone area.

Baringo North MP William Cheptumo said she worked with her, being neighbors and realized the dedicated woman she was. Cheptumo said her demise is a big loss to the people of Baringo and Kenya at large.

Amos Olempaka who contested against her for the seat during the 2017 General Elections on ODM ticket said the constituency has lost a mother, a leader and a hero who had courage of its own kind.

Olempaka said they will remember Kipchoim for her effort to oppose the intrusion of the cattle rustlers to Baringo South and ensured sanity in the area.