Former Samburu Senator Sammy Leshore was gazetted by the Independent and Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to replace Isaac Mwaura as a nominated senator representing persons with disabilities.
Leshore is a veteran Kenyan politician who has had a chequered career as an MP and Samburu Senator (2013-2017.)
He is also one of the few Kenyan politicians who have faced a real assassination attempt and lived to tell the story - albeit in a wheelchair.
In 2000, the politician was serving as government chief whip and Samburu East MP at the time. He was vocal about instituting reforms within Parliament - a notion that Leshore pointed out that allegedly rubbed some people in President Daniel arap Moi's government the wrong way.
In February of the same year, both Leshore and his Deputy Mohamed Shidiye had dinner at the former Vice President George Saitoti's house in Lavington. Leshore had given his bodyguard a day off prior to the visit.
At about 9.30 pm both leaders left Saitoti's house and proceeded to Imara Daima estate as the two were neighbours at the time.
Leshore who was driving the black Pajero turned to ply the Outer Ring road only for a matatu to hit them on the rear side.
"We exited the vehicle and tried to chase them (the matatu tout and conductor) to take them to the police station but they sped off," Leshore stated during a past interview with KTN News.
After the incident, both leaders came face to face with unidentified people who got into a scuffle with the politicians before the hitmen fired shots at them.
Leshore stated that the first bullet him on the right side of the chest which led to complications on his spinal cord. The second bullet, he noted, hit Shidiye at his right side as well.
The former legislator ascertained that they were left for dead by the gunmen before ultimately being rescued by good samaritans and taken to Nairobi hospital.
The speaker at the time Francis Ole Kaparo stated that he discreetly flew the two to a London hospital through Wilson airport to ensure their protection. Leshore remained bedridden for over a year at a London hospital due to spinal cord complications which led to paralysis.
The events of that evening made headlines as the majority of politicians and Kenyans hinted that the attempt was politically instigated and linked to the two MPs' closeness to Saitoti.
In the early 1990s, the former VP had also survived an assassination attempt orchestrated by people who were uncomfortable with his closeness to Moi.
Saitoti ultimately died in a chopper accident that remains mysterious to date.
