Lamu man campaigned from mother’s ambulance to beat 70-year-old senator

By Pkemoi Ng'enoh | 6yrs ago | 2 min read

**Anwar Loitiptip posing for photo Uhuru Kenyatta**

When the Jubilee Party nomination results for the Lamu County senatorial seat were announced, Kenyans were shocked to learn that long serving and elderly politician Abu Chiaba had been trounced by a newcomer.

Chiaba, 70, lost to little-known new entrant, a youthful Anwar Loitiptip.

Loitiptip, 30, told The Nairobian how he literally rode in his mother’s ambulance to claim victory against the old politician in the smallest county in the Kenya.

Loitiptip garnered 3,868 votes against Chiaba’s 1,076 and will fly the Jubilee flag for Lamu senatorial seat come August 8.

Chiaba who at first threatened to disown the results later conceded defeat.

Chiaba came into power in 1992 as an elected MP, serving until 2013 when he was elected Senator. He has served for 24 years in various positions.

The youngest Senate aspirant is a graduate of Kampala International University, where he studied international relationship and diplomacy. He’s planning to enroll for a piloting course soon.

“Many people may not be aware but my mother is an ambulance driver for the public hospital in Mpeketoni sub-county. She has been helping many people and that’s how I decided to follow in her footsteps,” he said adding that, “The will of the people has prevailed.

Lotiptip has some Maasai blood which he believes is a sign of prosperity for Lamu County.

On many occasions, he has been spotted in the company of Nairobi Senator Mike Mbuvi Sonko.

During the recent visit by President Uhuru Kenytta, Loitiptip sat on the front row with Senator Sonko and even took selfies with the president.

“Actually, I’m Sonko’s political son. I’ve known him since the Al-Shabaab massacre in 2014 and he has been my political mentor since then,” he told The Nairobian.