The love-compete affair for three Sunkuli siblings

Before retired agricultural officer Francis Sunkuli died five years ago, his name had been immortalised in Kenya's politics. From his eight children, three had made waves in Narok and beyond.

Today Sunkuli brothers Julius Lekakeny, Andrew Leteipa and Charles Taleng'o are in the public limelight.

Julius, the eldest, graduated with a Law degree from the University of Nairobi and worked briefly as a magistrate before elders from his Moitanik clan approached him in 1991 and persuaded him to take on former area MP Francis Sompisha in the 1992 General Election.

He was elected Kilgoris MP at age 31 and was appointed by President Moi as Assistant Minister in the Office of the President.

“I am grateful to late President Daniel arap Moi for seeing the potential I had. He gave me an opportunity to serve this country as Internal Security and Defence Minister. I learnt a lot from the former president, who was my political mentor,” said Julius.

Charles is Principal Secretary in charge of Youth Affairs in the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology.

Andrew is a career educationist, entrepreneur and a politician. He chairs the Mara Education Trust and was nicknamed "Senator Bila Deni" when he contested for the Narok Senate seat in 2013. “The Senator Bila Deni nickname was given to me by my supporters when I built a secondary school in Keekonyokie, Narok with my own funds before I ventured into elective politics since they believed they owed me their votes,” said Andrew.

He is back in the national limelight after being nominated by Wiper party leader Mr Kalonzo Musyoka to be his running mate in the August 9 General Election, what he says was a surprise. "I initially thought I was being invited to be his jogging partner before it dawned on me that I was being asked to take up a national responsibility," he says.

He last taught at Moi High School Kabarak then became public relations manager in the 1990s. At one time he chaired Kenya Time Media Trust before he ventured into politics in 2011.

In 2013 Andrew electrified campaigns traversing the vast Narok County using a helicopter. He earned himself another nickname, ‘Chopper’, which he used as his election symbol to contest the Senate seat as an independent candidate.

Andrew says the decision to contest against Julius was their worst political mistake.

The Nairobi-based businessman is fluent in Maasai, Kalenjin and Ekegusii, which he has used effectively during campaigns and previously while drumming up support for the re-election of Julius as Kilgoris MP.

“I am not defined by my training as a literature teacher or a publisher, nor by my passion for writing. What matters most about my education is that I gained freedom from ignorance. It empowered me to come out of narrow confines to relate with all people as God's own creation,” he said.

This time round the three brothers will not be competing against each other. Julius is seeking to recapture the Kilgoris parliamentary seat while Charles is keeping his PS job. “The 2013 General Election was our lowest moment as a family since two brothers campaigned against each other and lost the Narok Senate seat, which could have been won by one of us,” said Julius.

In 2021, Andrew and Charles marshalled teams to contest for Narok governor. Each was endorsed by elders before they were prevailed upon to forgo their desire for the seat.

Julius said they agreed that he goes for the Kilgoris MP seat that he held between 1992 and 2002 before losing to incumbent MP Gideon Konchellah, who is now contesting for Narok Senate seat on Jubilee party.

When Andrew contested for the Senate seat in 2013, he argued that it was time Julius supported him having been the first to declare interest in the seat. Julius, then serving as Kenyan Ambassador to China, had first shown interest in the governor seat.

The two brothers' interest in the same seat tore the family down the middle, with each wanting to project himself as the better option for the people of Narok in the Senate race.

A similar scenario would have played out in the August 9 General Election, with Andrew and Charles having declared interest to succeed Narok Governor Mr Samuel Tunai.

Charles assembled a team in readiness to contest for governorship, saying his experience as a Principal Secretary in several ministries and Managing Director of Ewaso Ng’iro South Development Authority were enough to propel the county to the next level.

Andrew and Charles were at first adamant in the quest to succeed Mr Tunai, and it took the intervention of elders to convince them to shelve their ambitions, before Andrew went for Senate and Charles kept his PS job.

Julius was given the go ahead to contest for the Kilgoris Constituency seat. Mr Konchellah, is now contesting for the Narok Senate seat.

Charles was initially seeking the Narok governor seat on Azimio la Umoja One Kenya ticket and was at one point among candidates paraded during a public rally by ODM leader Raila Odinga but he stepped down in favour of Narok North MP Mr Moitalel Kenta.

The three Sunkuli brothers will definitely be on Kenyans' radar for the next few months, with the outcome of the August General Election set to determine their political future.

Mr Sunkuli has promised to put his best foot forward to ensure they clinch the presidency in the August 9 General Election. He warned opponents to prepare for a tough battle ahead.