Avocado' causes scare at Kericho County Assembly

Chemosot ward MCA William Soi, who is popularly known as 'Avocado'.

A Member of the Kericho County Assembly (MCA) caused his colleagues to tremble in their seats after he walked into the House carrying a ‘weapon’.

During the vetting of Kericho Deputy Governor nominee Ms Lilly Ngok, Chemosot ward MCA Mr William Soi who is popularly known as ‘Avocado’ walked into the Assembly with a walking stick causing tension among the interviewing panel.

“There is a weapon at the floor of the house!” screamed Ainanoi MCA Cheruiyot Bett to alert Speaker Dominic Rono who was chairing the session. Mr ‘Avocado” struggles with weight issues has recently begun walking around with the aid of a cane. The stir caused the Assembly’s Speaker to interrupt the Ngok interview and instruct Mr Soi to surrender the “weapon” to the sergeant-at-arms, “Honourable William Soi, please leave your weapon outside the floor of the Assembly,” said Rono.

Justus Maritim, sergeant-at-arms rushed forward and grabbed the cane from Mr ‘Avacado’ including a yellow cap that he had in his hands. With the weapon taken out of the floor of the house, the MCAs resumed with their tough questions for Ms Ngok’ to determine her suitability to succeed the late Susan Kikwai who succumbed to Covid-19 on March 20th.

‘Avacado’ who perhaps holds the record in the county with 12 children as an MCA with one of the largest families got the nickname due to his body size and the avocado trees in his compound.

The Chemosot MCA won the seat as an independent candidate by garnering 6,098 votes to beat his predecessor Phillip Koskei (Jubilee), who got 4,260 votes.

Mr ‘Avocado’ is not the only Kericho MCA with a nickname. Virtually all the 47 MCAs have one.

Among them is; Humphrey Kirui (Torchit/Spotlight) Erick Bett (Watchman) Philip Rono (Safaricom) Hezron Rotich (Kumiat/Honey) Paul Chirchir (Tarimbo ) Daniel Ngetich (Muganget/Cooking stick).