Many people believed she was joking when she declared her intentions, but she has maintained her resolve. Her popularity has recently risen and went Bomet.
Her name is Linet Chepkorir, but she goes by the nickname Toto among Bomet inhabitants. She is from the Chemamul area and comes from a low-income family.
When she attended UDA delegates meeting at DP Ruto’s Karen residence few weeks ago, she was dismissed her, since the party believed she was just a joker. She was later allowed to pay nomination fee following her immense popularity in Bomet County.
Toto acknowledged in an interview with Valley media that she overcame numerous obstacles in her pursuit of academic achievement.
Because her parents were unemployed, Linet said she was able to pay for her high school and university studies through bursaries and Harambees.
UDA Nomination
Resilience, hardwork and humility has finally paid her off. She has emerged to win the UDA ticket, hoping to be the next Bomet County Women Rep.
Chepkorir beat her 10 other contestants gaining 60 per cent of the total votes counted across the five sub-counties.
She took to social media to celebrate her win:
“We have WON! Thank you very much to the Residents of Bomet for giving me the mandate to contest for Women Rep seat on UDA ticket. I am a testimony to God’s greatness. God bless you. I love you. Kongoi…”
https://twitter.com/TotoLinet/status/1514709744325468162
August 9 General elections
As her competitors traversed the county with fuel-guzzling vehicles, Ms Chepkorir walked to campaign venues, as well as motorcycles and vehicles donated and fuelled by well-wishers.
“I don’t take it for granted that I got the backing of voters from across the political divide. I promise them that I’ll do my best to deliver on my mandate,” the MP-elect said.
Read: 20 aspirants in race to succeed Bomet woman rep
In a county with 376,985 registered voters as per the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) register, Ms Chepkorir garnered 242,775 votes against her closest rival, Dr Alice Milgo of Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM), who secured 43,180 votes, followed by Ms Beatrice Chepkemoi Chebomui with 4,639 votes.
The other candidates were Florence Cherono Birir (Independent, 2,045 votes), Viola Cherono Tesot (Independent, 1,740 votes), Hellen Taplelei Rotich (Wiper, 1,665), Jesca Cherono Rono (ANC, 1,478 votes), Susan Korir (ODM, 1,27 votes), Susan Koech (Independent, 1,247 votes).
In comparison, Governor Hillary Barchok garnered 158,798 while senator-elect Hillary Sigei got 237,982.
The youthful politician still lives with her parents, Mr Richard Langat and Mrs Betty Langat at Chemamul village, Merigi ward.
Mr Langat is a peasant farmer while his wife is an Early Childhood Education and Development Education teacher at Raiya Primary School in the outskirts of Bomet town.
The name ‘Toto’ was given to her when she was an infant. A neighbour at Egerton University where the family lived, kept forgetting her name, so he chose to call her Toto and the name stuck.
By coincidence, she was the youngest pupil in her class and so the name followed her.
After being declared the winner and handed the certificate by Bomet County Returning Officer Daniel Lenarum, Ms Chepkorir was thrilled while her parents broke into song and dance.
Gun for leadership
“I want to assure my supporters and those who didn’t vote for me that I’ll serve all without favour, and I’m asking for your support over the next five years,” she said.
Ms Chepkorir was thrust into the limelight when she went for a meeting at Deputy President William Ruto’s Karen home where he was hosting UDA aspirants. She was locked out for about an hour by security officers who mistook her for a village girl who had strayed into the meeting.
She was finally let in after producing an electronic ticket showing she had paid the Sh6,000 registration fees for party aspirants.
Her first agenda, she says, will be to sponsor a Bill in Parliament to compel the government to supply free sanitary pads to girls across the country.
She wants youth to gun for leadership posts so as to provide solutions to their many problems.
Leadership
According to Linet, she has been a leader since her young age. In an interview, she narrated how she used to organize the nursery class and led them in prayer.
She would d be a monitor in classes 1 through 7 and the school’s head girl in class 8. In high school, she was class president in Form 4 and class prefect in Forms 1-3.
She went on to become the treasurer of Tharaka University’s C.U. and the captain of the lady’s hostel before graduating with a degree in procurement.
Linet has served as the Chair Lady of the Union of Youths in her town.
Aspiration
What made her want to join politics through the Women Rep position?
Linet claimed that helping the youths would be her first priority if she won. When asked how she would run the campaigns, she said she had faith in God and believed she would reach out to every corner of Bomet County to seek their support. Money was neither a concern nor a must for her.
After winning win the seat in the general elections, her salary will be over Ksh1.2 million per month.
