Boyd Were, the son of the late Kasipul MP Charles Were Ong’ndo is gearing up for the Kasipul by-elections. The young man is seeking to inherit the MP seat from his father, who was assassinated in Nairobi a few weeks ago.
Boyd wants to take up the challenge because he believes the vision that his father had for the Homabay-based constituency is alive in him. Some of the projects that he wants to focus on include; education, economic empowerment, and youth empowerment, which were introduced by his father.
“Dear Kasipul Constituents, I humbly step forward to continue the development journey my father began. His vision for a better Kasipul remains alive in me, and I am committed to seeing every project he initiated completed. With your full support, we will walk this journey together, steadfast and united, until the dream is fully realised,” he stated on May 16, 2025.
Boyd’s journey in politics is no different from a handful of politician in Kenya. Some were elected in office after their relatives, passed on, leaving seats vacant. Some are still in office, while others have advanced to other levels.
Below are some politicians who inherited seats from their relatives.
Abdul Haji
Abdul is the sitting senator of Garissa and Brother of Noordin Haji, the Director General of National Intelligence Service. He was elected to the Senate after the death of his father Yusuf Haji in February 2021. The late Haji served as Garissa senator from 2013 and was a member of Jubilee Party until his untimely death. His son succeeded him after contesting on a Jubilee Ticket.
Mutula Kilonzo Jnr
The politician is currently serving as governor of Makueni County. Before his current position, he served as senator. He landed the senatorial position in a by-election that was held in July 2013 after the death of his father lawyer Mutula Kilonzo, who was holding the position. Mutula senior died under controversial circumstances that saw his daughter Kethi banned by courts from vying for the same seat.
Mutula Jnr was elected on a Wiper Democratic Movement Kenya ticket.
Moses Otieno Kajwang’
He is the second senator of Homa bay county. He was elected in February 2015 under the ODM ticket in a by-election that resulted from the death of his brother Gerald Otieno Kajwang.
Gerald died in November 2014 at Mater Hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Gideon Moi
He is the son of the Late Daniel Arap Moi, who was the second president of Kenya. He succeeded his father as Baringo North MP in 2002, when Moi retired from active politics. The late Moi represented the constituency from 1955 to 2002. Gideon however served from only one term and in the 2007 general elections, he was defeated by Sammy Mwaita.
In 2013, Gideon returned to politics as Baringo Senator under KANU. In 2022, he wanted to vie for presidency but shelved his ambition to support ODM’s Raila Odinga.
Musalia Mudavadi
Musalia Mudavadi is top CS in the current regime. Way back in 1989, he was elected unopposed as Sabatia MP, after the death of his father Moses Mudavadi.
Others who inherited seats from their relatives include: Eugene Wamalwa, who replaced his brother Kijana Wamalwa as Saboti MP in 2003. Oburu Odinga, the brother of Raila took over the Bondo parliamentary seat from their father Jaramogi Oginga Odinga in 1995.
In June 10, 2008, a plane crush caused the death of two MPs, Kipkalya Kones and Lorna Laboso, who represented Bomet and Sotik respectively. In Bomet, Kones Widow Beatrice won the seat on an ODM ticket. In Sotik, Joyce Laboso, Lorna’s sister, clinched Sotik’s seat. Joyce would then be elected as Bomet governor in 2017.
The late Paul Kihara was the first Naivasha MP in 1997. When he died in 2003 after a long illness, his wife Jayne Kihara succeeded him.
