Nakuru activists known for keeping government in check turn to politics

Nakuru-based surgeon Dr Magare Gikenyi  will be vying for the Parliamentary Seat at Nakuru West Sub County. [File, Standard]

Two Nakuru civil rights activists who have been keeping the national and county governments in check have now turned to politics in a bid to directly push for reforms.

Dr Magare Gikenyi, a surgeon and Laban Omusundi, a painter  have been filing both public and court petitions to indirectly push for policies, reforms and to point out unconstitutional conduct in the government.

However, after over five years of active activism, the two have thrown themselves into the mix of politics, insisting that the same would give them the mandate to directly push for reforms in Parliament.

Dr Gikenyi will be vying for the Parliamentary Seat at Nakuru West Sub County, while Omusundi wants to be Nakuru Senator in 2027.

Gikenyi, who recently graduated with a Bachelor's in Law, describes himself as a human rights and constitutional defender.

“I have been fighting for good governance, justice and equity in Nakuru and Kenya as a whole and others have joined hands in support of my cause,” he says.

Gikenyi states that despite filing over 100 constitutional cases in court and winning the majority of them, he feels his impact has not yet been felt.

He notes that in the current regime, court orders are disobeyed or ignored by the politicians, who are the majority in government.

“My aim is to empower, bring fairness and equity to Nakuru and improve their economic fortunes. In my current position I feel that I am unable to do so,” he states.

He adds that he believes in servant leadership, rule of law and constitutionalism, which would gradually make a better society and Kenya.

Some of the cases Gikenyi won included against Nakuru Governor Susan  Kihika’s appointment of County Executives, insisting that the same did not reflect ethnic diversity in Nakuru.

He also won the case against the government for hiking National Identity Cards fees from free to Sh1,000. The same was reduced to Sh300.

Another case was against the government forcing Kenyans to pay school fees through the e-citizen, among others.

Nakuru activist Laban Omusundi is set to vie for Nakuru's Senatorial seat in the 2027 elections. [File, Standard]

On his part, Omusundi said that for years, he has championed devolution through strategic public interest petitions filed both in the Senate and the High Court.

“Through the petitions, I indirectly influenced legislation and legal interpretations that strengthen county government structures, improve accountability, and protect public resources,” he says.

He adds that the interventions were not theoretical, but have addressed real governance gaps that counties across Kenya face.

Omusundi says that he faced many challenges, including a petition that was dismissed in Parliament, simply because it was filed by him, a non-legislator.

Omusundi claims that he has carried the oversight role in Nakuru, without being in position of power and as a Senator, he will have that mandate to criticize the county leadership.

“Through sustained civic engagement, documentation, and legal action, I have exercised more effective oversight than the entire County Assembly combined, without public funds, political privilege, or institutional backing,” Omusundi says.

He says he understands oversight, legislation, and constitutional accountability, not as slogans, but as practice and he is committed to devolution.