United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary-General Cleophas Malala has joined millions of Kenyans in mourning the death of the former Kanduyi MP Laurence Sifuna.
Malala took to his Twitter account to join his Orange Democratic Movement (ODM)’s counterpart and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna in mourning the unfortunate death of the political icon in the Luhya land.
From the UDA Party fraternity, our deepest condolences to you senator Edwin Sifuna and your family. May you find greatest comfort in the lord during this moment of grief,” posted Malala.
From the UDA Party fraternity, deepest condolences to you senator @edwinsifuna and your family.
May you find greatest comfort in the lord during this moment of grief. https://t.co/546rClW5iv
— Cleo Malalah (@Cleophasmalala) December 3, 2023
Sifuna who also served as Bumula MP was pronounced dead on Sunday morning.
The former MP is a family member of ODM SG and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna. He is the brother of Senator Sifuna’s father.
Senator Sifuna said the former MP succumbed to stroke he suffered a few days ago.
“Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, former MP Kanduyi and Bumula Constituencies left us last night whilst receiving treatment at an Eldoret Hospital following a stroke he suffered a few days ago,” he said.
Hon. Lawrence Sifuna, former MP Kanduyi and Bumula Constituencies left us last night whilst receiving treatment at an Eldoret Hospital following a stroke he suffered a few days ago. As a Family we are grateful for all the messages of love that we continue to receive. May God… pic.twitter.com/TvrP6fTJro
— Edwin Sifuna (@edwinsifuna) December 3, 2023
“As a Family, we are grateful for all the messages of love that we continue to receive. May God Bless you all.”
At the time of his death, the former MP was an ODM party member.
ODM in a statement said:
“We commiserate with the family of our SG Edwin Sifuna, friends and relatives following the loss of the Hon. Lawrence Sifuna.”
“Hon. Sifuna was a Life Member of the ODM party. May his soul RIP.”
He was first elected as MP on November 8, 1979, in the then-larger Bungoma South constituency. He was re-elected in 1983 too.
He lost to a former North Eastern Provincial Commissioner Maurice Makhanu in the 1988 General Election after Bungoma South constituency was renamed Kanduyi.
Sifuna recaptured the seat during the first multi-party General Election of 1992 on a Ford Asili ticket.
The former MP was one of the left-wing members of parliament in the 1980s (a.k.a. the seven bearded sisters) who persistently fought Attorney General Charles Njonjo and government policies that clamped down on the basic human rights of Kenyans.
Others included Koigi wa Wamwere, James Orengo, Abuya Abuya, Chibule wa Tsuma, Onyango Midika, Mwashengu wa Mwachofi and Philomena Chelangat Mutai.
They are part of the larger group that fought for Kenya’s second liberation.
NB: Additional information courtesy of The Star Newspaper.