Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen is the Senator for Elgeyo Marakwet. He is also the immediate Senate Majority Leader as well as a close confidant, ally, and advisor to Deputy President William Ruto. He is serving his second term as Senator and has previously served as the Senate’s Deputy Speaker (2013-2017).
The son of squatter parents, Murkomen was born 42 years ago in Embobut Forest and overcame great odds to study law at the University of Nairobi.
He later got a scholarship to study a master’s degree in law at the University of Pretoria in South Africa. He later acquired a second master’s degree from the American University Washington College of Law in the United States.
He returned to the country as an academician, teaching law in local universities and part-timing as a political and legal analyst as a pastime.
In 2013, he was elected Elgeyo Marakwet Senator, defeating big names such as former Cabinet Minister Nicholas Biwott.
Murkomen has had a political roller coaster of a year. He lost his Senate Majority Leader’s position in May but he was not one to let go easily. His bold challenge of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s changes signalled his growth as a politician and the close support he enjoys among his colleagues.
Despite his removal, Murkomen emerged as the de facto leader of the Team Kenya wing of Senators who were fighting the population-driven County Revenue Allocation (CRA) formula.
The Elgeyo Marakwet Senator had the last laugh as the population formula was defeated even after it was endorsed by President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.