Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei during a fundraiser in aid of Kiboswa Seventh Day Adventist Church in Lelmokwo Ngechek, Chesumei Constituency of Nandi County on March 11, 2023.
Nandi Senator Samson Kiprotich Cherargei, who is serving his second term, has cut a niche as a politician who does not shy away from stirring and jumping into controversy.
While many of his ilk restrain themselves in public utterance on the myriad of issues and challenges in the society, the youthful lawyer turned lawmaker, is the complete opposite — taking on everything and anything thrown his way, without holding back.
The firebrand, outspoken legislator, stoked trouble in his first term under the retired President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Jubilee administration and continues to ruffle feathers both on the floor of parliament, in public functions and during media interviews.
As a first termer, he chaired the powerful Justice, Legal Affairs and Human Rights committee in the 12th parliament, but this was cut short in 2020 as he was purged alongside those close to the then Deputy President Ruto, in the Handshake regime.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei (left) with the then Deputy President William Ruto at a past event.
He has endured a series of arrests over his public utterance, coining the word ‘political persecution’ as he was taken to be charged in Kisumu county while arrested in Nandi county.
He was also arrested in Nairobi City county, detained at Upper Hill police and arraigned in court, over his remarks, but not much seems to have changed.
Mr Cherargei has been in the news lately for seeking to push the Presidential, Parliamentary and Gubernatorial term from five to seven years in what has stirred a political storm.
At the end of Friday’s deadline to get public views, at least 240,000 emails had been sent to the Senate and Mr Cherargei appeared to climb down during a public participation session in Nairobi.
Still, in public he has emerged as a fierce defender of impeached Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua – who is fighting in the corridors of justice, to retain his position. But it is support that did not end as expected when the Deputy President needed him the most.
Nonetheless, Mr Cherargei’s stated position on the impeachment, holding on to Mr Gachagua’s corner when his colleagues from Rift Valley, President Ruto’s backyard, were deserting him, attracted attention.
“We have not given the Deputy President a hearing in the interest of justice,” Mr Cherargei said during the Senate hearing.
But when the time to vote came, the Senator for Nandi surprised friends and foes by voting to remove the Deputy President by impeachment — just too long after arguing on the floor of the House that the 11 charges against Mr Gachagua were flimsy.
Ms Caroline Cherotich, a political commentator, said the Senator stands out as one who speaks his mind. Critics, however, often question the Senator’s motives.
The Senator has previously had a public spat with Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, both on local and national issues.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang (left) and Senator Samson Cherargei.
One of the issues relating to alleged corruption in the roads sector – when Mr Murkomen served as CS for Transport and Infrastructure – has ended up in court with a defamation suit.
He has also criticised the CS for alleged display of opulence in what is insensitive to the Kenyans struggling to make ends meet in hard economic times facing the country.
From the leaking roofs at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airports (JKIA) to roll out of road construction projects in the country and especially in Rift Valley which they both come from, and the political supremacy battles, the Senator has not lost an opportunity to take potshots at the CS.
Mr Murkomen, is a former Senate Majority Leader and was thrice elected Elgeyo Marakwet Senator before resigning to join President Ruto’s cabinet following the August 9, 2022 General Election.
Cabinet Secretary for Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports Kipchumba Murkomen (left) and Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei.
“When I raised the issue of show of opulence by those in government including CSs and Members of Parliament, I was blasted and described as a dimwit. But the protests by Genzs vindicated my position,” Mr Cherargei said recently in an interview.
He has also had a seemingly unending tiff with Governor Sang over alleged mismanagement of county resources and corruption in the county, which sometimes has been seen to be tethering on personal attacks as opposed to demanding for accountability and oversight role.
Mr Sigey Bett, a Nairobi based advocate said the Senator cuts both ways, raising serious issues while at times being seen to be petty.
Mr Bett, however, points out that Nandi County has always produced “fiery politicians who have stood up to the state and left an indelible mark in Kenya’s democratic space”. He hopes the Senator will follow the same path.
Nandi county has been the home of outspoken politicians including Mr Jean-Marie Seroney, Ms Jelagat Mutai and former Nandi Hills Member of Parliament Alfred Keter. The jury is still out on whether or not Mr Cherargei will be judged as yet another of the county’s best — or worst — political leaders.
In parliament, the Senator has repeatedly attracted the ire of the speaker for his approach to issues, veering off from the rules of the house.
He has repeatedly been thrown out of the chamber as a result, but that has not subsequently helped to cool him down.
Despite being a lawyer well versed with the Constitution 2010 and the laws of the land on separation of powers between the various arms of government, the senator is on record publicly advising President Ruto to ignore the courts injunctions on various issues.
“Mr President, ignore the courts and proceed to implement your development agenda in the country. We can use the orders of the courts as tissue paper” He told Dr Ruto in a tour of Nandi county early this year.
It is such views that have made some critics, especially on social media, to point out — sometimes in rather strong language — that he does not argue like a lawyer.
He has rubbed the wrong way the Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula, who also doubles as the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC), over the shoddy works at the Bunge Tower. He questioned the varied cost and whether Kenyans got value for money.
The Speaker issued a ‘gag’ order on the floor of the House, cautioning legislators discrediting the multi-billion project inaugurated by President Ruto, instead of exhausting the internal resolution channels.
Many a times, his United Democratic Alliance (UDA) has been forced to distance itself with his utterance or position, begging the question why he missed out on chairing any of the powerful committees or picked for the leadership positions as a ranking member.
He has also identified himself as a defender of devolution and entrenching of county governments in the current constitutional order, despite his holding the view that corruption has been devolved.
“Corruption has been devolved to counties and with proper audits and action by relevant government agencies, three quarters of the Governors would be in jail” Mr Cherargei said.
Governor Sang and Senator Cherargei have for the last two terms been engaged in public spat over implementation of development projects, accountability and alleged corruption.
Mr Sang in a letter to Mr Cherargei last year at the height of their bickering over the Governor’s appearance at the Senate before the Public Accounts Committee and the Public Investments Committee, described the senator as petty.
“You have been choosing to engage in sideshows that often baffle your own colleagues. You were on several occasions dismissed by your colleagues as being petty and juvenile” Mr Sang stated in the letter to Mr Cherargei.
The Governor claimed the Senator displayed “lack of emotional acuity to deeply delve into issues captured in the Auditor General’s reports.”
Though he has not made it public, the Senator is said to harbour gubernatorial ambitions in Nandi county.
