Who was Baringo Senator William Cheptumo?

The late Baringo Senator William Cheptumo. /HANDOUT

Baringo Senator William Cheptumo died on Sunday while undergoing treatment at the Nairobi Hospital. He was 58.

His family said he had been sick for some time until his demise.

A family member added that he had been discharged from hospital last week but his condition deteriorated prompting readmission.

Senator Cheptumo was born in 1967.  

He was a former Member of Parliament for Baringo North Constituency for 14 years from 2008–2022.

Cheptumo clinched the Senate seat in the 2022 general elections, under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, trouncing Gideon Moi.

He garnered 141,777 votes, while incumbent Gideon, who was seeking re-election, received 71,408 votes.

Cheptumo was a holder of a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, which he obtained between 1988 and 1991.

He pursued a postgraduate diploma in law at the Kenya School of Law.

The senator was an alumnus of Kabarnet High School, Bartolimo Secondary School and Maregut Primary School.

His primary and secondary school education was between 1975 and 1987.

Prior to venturing into politics, Cheptumo held various legal positions, including working as legal officer at the Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation between 1993 and 1995.

Between 1995 and 1998, he worked at the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), as a legal officer.

He then founded Cheptumo and Company Advocates, which he ran from 1998 to 2007.

In government, the late senator worked as an executive in the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs between 2008 and 2013.

During the 11th Parliament, he sat in various committees including the Committee on Delegated Legislation as the chairperson, Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs as a member, House Business Committee as a member and at the Committee on Pensions as a member.

In the 12th Parliament, he served as chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs.

He was also the chairperson of the Senate National Security, Defense and Foreign Relations Committee.

Two days ago, Cheptumo wished Raila Odinga success in his quest to become the African Union Commission chairperson.

"Raila Odinga is undoubtedly the most qualified candidate for the African Union Commission chairmanship. He is a well-crafted democrat with a seasoned experience on matters of the Africa continent," he said.

"His unrelenting Panafrican spirit presents him as a statesman with a bold African quest for a progressive Africa. His victory will be a win for Kenya and Africa at large. Wishing you the very best Baba. Let's win together. Let's bring it home together."

Raila, however, lost the race to Djibouti's Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud Ali Youssouf in a hotly contested race that went seven rounds.