First female candidate declares interest in former Moi’s stronghold

Leah ‘Targok’ Manyarkiy who will contest for Baringo Central parliamentray seat [Photo:Standard]

By ROBERT KIPLAGAT

After remaining on the sidelines for decades, women in Baringo Central Constituency are now plunging into politics.

No woman has ever attempted to contest for a Parliamentary seat in the region since independence. Retired President Daniel arap Moi was the area MP for close to 36 years. The March 2013 General Election is however going to be a game-changer for Baringo Central as the only woman contestant will be wrestling with men in the race to represent the constituency in the coming Parliament.

Leah ‘Targok’ Manyarkiy is the latest entrant to the area political arena and seen as the face of change in the area politics after she recently declared interest for the seat.

After Moi’s retirement, his son and current Kanu Chairman Gideon Moi was elected unopposed for the post in 2002 for one term until 2007 when he lost to Sammy Mwaita.

The entrance of Mrs Manyarkiy to the area politics will, however, break the jinx and open doors for the liberation and empowerment of women political leadership in the constituency.  Mrs Manyarkiy, who has for more than 15 years been a practicing advocate of the High Court said she has what it takes to be the next Baringo Central MP as she believes in equity and economic freedom for all constituents.

She says she would help transform the constituency through people-oriented leadership with an aim of eradicating poverty and improving the livelihoods of the residents in the semi-arid constituency.

On her status update on social media platform Facebook on September 29, 2012, she wrote: “I had a meeting with my entire family and they gave me the go-ahead and the blessings to offer my leadership to the people of Baringo Central.

“I invite your ideas on what you think should be done in our constituency to make life better for our people. Mine is people-oriented leadership,” read the update.

Constituents who spoke to The County Weekly said change was eminent in the constituency especially through the entrance of the  first-ever contestant for the parliamentary seat.

Boaz Kipng’etich, a local, said the constituency is yet to taste women’s leadership.

“I hope that she will prove that indeed, ‘what a man can do, a woman can do better’ by achieving where she believes her predecessors failed,” said Mr Kipng’etich.

He says retrogressive practices and lack of clear focus on  girl-child education and lack of support and poverty have hindered many women from contesting for the area’s top leadership.

Mrs Manyarkiy, who is also the Chair of the Board of Governors (BOG) of Tabagon Girls, the Matron of Timboiywo Primary School and a member of Sacho  Prof Forum ‘SPF’, will face-off with five other contestants for the seat.

Mrs Manyarkiy joins other aspirants such as former Kabarnet town Mayor John Kiprono, German-based businessman Mr Joshua Kandie and former  Co-operative bank chairman, former Moi aide Hosea Kiplagat and Simeon Yatich Arap Namba.

If at all Mrs Manyarkiy gets elected for the post, she will join other women elected MPs in the county such as Mogotio MP Prof Hellen Sambili.

Prof Sambili trounced, among others, immediate former MP Joseph Korir, Dr Daniel Tuitoek, and lawyer Chris Foot to become the first woman to represent the constituency.

Same battles for the parliamentary seats in other constituencies in the county are slowly taking shape as contestants keep flocking in.

Other constituencies in Baringo County include Baringo North whose seat is being held by Justice assistant minister William Cheptumo and Eldama-Ravine, held by Moses Lessonet.

The newly-created Baringo South constituency has so far attracted seven contestants for the seat among them; Kipruto Kimosop who is a co-ordinator with the Baringo Human Rights Consortium and Grace Kipchoim, the former Baringo Central Constituency treasurer.  Others include former Egerton University don Dr Daniel Kandagor, youthful contestant Mr Samati Kemboi and Nakuru-based lawyer Raymond Kandie.

A spot-check by The County Weekly revealed that no other woman has expressed interest to contest for any other county seat apart from the women representative’s.