MP meets mother-in-law in Parliament: Will they survive Mps’ tabia mbaya?

• They have resurrected the political legacy of Kipkalya Kones nine years after his death in a plane crash
• Only time will tell how matters will turn out for Sonko and his mother-in-law.

All eyes are currently on a newly-elected Member of Parliament who is about to make history in Kenya as the first man to be ‘in the same House’ with his mother-in-law.

The family of the late mheshimiwa are back in the political limelight nine years after his death in a plane crash.

While it is a known fact that hanging around a mother-in-law is taboo among many communities in Kenya, Nelson Koech aka Sonko, the MP for Belgut in Kericho County, will be the man to watch as he begins a five-year journey in the august House alongside his ‘mother’ who is the MP for Bomet East.

As witnessed recently, Parliament does get ugly and waheshimiwa never shy away from exchanging expletives that would embarrass any man seated next to his mother-in-law.

In the past, male politicians have been captured catcalling female MPs.

Do you remember the day Mbita legislator Millie Odhiambo claimed that Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria, assaulted and attempted to strip her?

But according to Kuria, “She is the one who actually removed her panties and threw it on the floor of the House, she was behaving like mad woman, saying how Luo women are not embarrassed of their nakedness.”

But despite the anticipated drama, Kalenjin elder John Seii sees nothing wrong with the unusual scenario the current Parliament will be faced with. He says he is for a dynamic culture since everyone has democratic space and opportunities and that every market must have a mad man.

“This case is a mere coincidence. But looking back at our culture, even during circumcision ceremonies, everyone was invited but all protocols had to be observed,” he told The Nairobian.

He added that, “We have seen ugly scenes in Parliament. There is always a mad man in every market.”

Only time will tell how matters will turn out for Sonko and his mother-in-law.

Political analyst Paul Chebunet believes that this could have been pa lan to continue Kipkalya Kones’ legacy.

He argues that the two should focus on mutual respect and service to their constituents.

“Their respect and relationship must not overshadow service to people who elected them. On the other hand, Kalenjin culture does not demand that a man should not disagree with his mother-in-law,” he said.

While Sonko was battling out with his rivals in Kericho County during his second stab at the seat, his mother-in-law Beatrice Kones 60, was sweating it out with her firstborn son Kelvin Kipngetich.

The mother who was vying on a Jubilee ticket trounced Kipngetich who was running on Isaac Ruto’s Chama Cha Mashinani ticket.

Some people tried to prevail on the mother to step down, but she was adamant, claiming her rivals planned to lock the family out of the race.

Beatrice, a trained teacher from Togotho Teachers College, started her political journey by clinching the Maendeleo ya Wanawake seat in Bomet between 2000 and 2005.

Between 2008 and 2012, she was a member of Kenya Women Parliamentary Association. At the time, she was a legislator.

She has taught in various schools under Teachers Service Commission and has been an inspector of schools and assistant Cabinet minister of Home Affairs.

Beatrice vied for and won the Bomet parliamentary seat in the 2008 by-election following the death of her husband Kipkalya Kones, the former Roads minister who died in a Narok plane crash with colleague Lorna Laboso.

The pair had tried for the same seats in the 2013 elections but their ambitions hit a brick wall when Beatrice - who was contesting on the coveted United Republican Party (URP) ticket- was trounced by Charles Keter.

But the family unleashed sweet revenge. Beatrice Kones garnered 22,796 votes to beat her closest challenger Bernard Kipkurui Bett who got 12,042 votes. Her son came a distant fourth with 2, 410 votes.

Nelson Koech earned his ‘Sonko’ nickname from his flashy lifestyle and well-oiled campaign which involved the use of choppers.

Sonko, the businessman said to have interest in real estate, is married to Yvonne Chepkurui Kones, the second-born daughter of the late Kipkalya Kones.

Judging from his recent and past family photos on social media, Sonko seems to have started eating life with big spoon long before his political ambition.

He is said to have studied with his wife (now a road contractor) in the United Kingdom before she jetted back home. Initially, Sonko served as United Republic Party (URP) coordinator in Kericho, DP Ruto’s party that has since folded and joined Jubilee Party.