The Late Lorna Laboso

“ A vote is like a rifle: its usefulness depends upon the character of the user”

Theodore Roosevelt Autobiography

These words spoke volumes then and even today as we mourn the departed Lorna Laboso, the MP of Sotik.

In her , the voters the more than 36508 voters  saw that their votes will be useful and entrusted their votes with her because of her character of being tenacious, accomplisher and a woman of the people.
 

Having grounded her politics at the local grassroot level, just like  a geyser , a hot water eruption, her fame erupted  at the national level when she made her debut in politics for the first time and put up a tought fight where she lost narrowly to Anthony Kiemtu with only 2000 votes.

But she never faltered in her quest to fight for what she believed belonged to her. Just like a safari ant she continued to work for her people and dedicated her time and attention to improving their lives.

 Her tenacity made her not to give up and just like a true leader who believes of not giving up, while many women who tried  and never made it were scared to try again, Lorna stood to be counted among those who vied for the 2007 political seats.

During the countdown to 2007, she was quoted having said, “It annoys me to see aspirants declaring empty promises to the constituents towards the end of an election year. Voters should be wise during the elections and vote for someone who has been and will continue to work with them at all times. Sotik will have done itself and generations to come a great favour by electing Lorna Laboso into parliament in 2007.”

That was how close Lorna was with her voters, she knew their needs and hated anybody who was taking them for a ride, all that she ever wanted was to be a servant to the people who she believed deserved better.

And indeed they heeded to her plea by voting someone whom they thought will carry their aspirations and inspiration to higher heights. As one voter from Sotik puts it; “Lorna had our interest at heart.”

Even though the celebration to her winning the seat was amrred  by the post election crisis, Lorna plunged herself to work straight  away and never waiver. “ When duty calls whichever area, I must be there.” She  said. 

True to her call and she was instrumental in  calming the youths during  the post election violence and worked with loal leades, elders and government officials in trying to come up with a final peace accord between the Kipsigis and the Kisiis. 

At one point during the heat of the violence, Lorna was gracious enough to join the senior media women, the Norwegian Ambassader,  H.E Elisabeth Jacobsen and the Swedish Ambassader H.E Anna Brandt for lunch to discuss the challenges the women leaders epecially in the Rift Valley were going through at that particular time. 

In her words; “ It is tough but I have to be there to discuss peace with the youth, once or twices I have been on verge of being killed, but I will do whatever it takes to make sure that our youth stop this senseless killing.” 

Her sister who was with her in that meeting was lamenting; “ I don’t think my sister has even slept since the violence began, she is ever on the move and we are very worried that we might loose her because she is not afraid to go even  where the battle is taking place.” 

But Lorna looked at her smiling and reminded her; “ I am carrying the cross of leadership,” 

At times it was really a trying moment for Lorna, not only was she ever up and down in her Constituency, she also lost a colleague  and age mate, Hon.  David Too, the then Mp for Ainamoi. She shared her sadness with the group  and told us how as young MPs they were planning to form  a group for young Turks for MPs where they could synergise one another and help the youth in Rift Valley work together with other communities. “ But now he is gone” she said sadly. 

But her loss did not weigh her down, neither the challenges she was experiencing trying to quell the violence, such was the courage of a young woman who was bend to use her leadership position to make a difference.

Having risen up from the women’s movement where she was the treasurer at the Education Centre for Women in Democracy, Lorna saw her victory as the MP for Sotik as the victor for all women in Kenya, she believed in the quest for women in political empowerment.

 She promised to be instrumental in linking the women’s movement with the on-goings of Parliament. 

During  a dinner organised by the League of Women Voters  which was graced by Ida Odinga, the wife of the Prime Minister Hon Raila Odinga to celebrte the women who  got elected into Parliament, Lorna was among the guest  and she told the women; “ When it was announced that I was appointed an Assistant Minister, I was sad because I was expecting a full cabinet post. But when I went home, the joy I saw in the face of my people was overwhelming because I had brought back home a half a flag. From that time I resorted to work hard and come 2012 I will have a full flag as the Cabinet Minister, so my people can also see the benefit for having someone in Government.”

And  another  a breakfast meeting hosted by FIDA to met with the women MPs, Lorna emphasised time and again that the women’s movement and the women MPs were not in competition and must work to synergise one another and she was cognisant to the fact the work of women’s organisation forms un-tapped resource for women parliamentarians. 

“ The journey ahead for all the women of  Kenya is to see that gender  bills are brought back to the floor of parliament and passed  making reference to Affirmative Action Bill, Dometic Violence Bill and Family law.” 

Lorna might not be there to see this happen, but one hoped that the seed  which she has sown in fighting for justice for women and the youth will one day be realised. And that the advise and challenge which Lorna was never shy to give to the women  and telling them not to be afraid of taking up their mantle in leadership have been firmly planted among the young women whom she says are the future of this country.

Only six months in active politics and two months  as Assistant Minister,  just like she knew that she was running against time, her energy was spirited and her vision was timeless. According to those who were close to her, Lorna’s philosophy was to be in Nairobi only when it was necessary, but most of the times, she liked spending her time with her voters. 

She had a vision not only for the people of Sotik but for the youth of this country. Her belief that an active youth can offer the shoulder under which the new Kenyan will be built was her rallying call over and over and she was always ever looking for ways and means to makre sure that the youth of Sotik should not be idle but be active in developmental work. 

As an Assistant Minister for Home Affairs, during the time of the strike by the Prison Wardens, Lorna did not shy of showing her femine side when she shed tears after seeing how  the warders were living in such a sorry state.

Leadersip with a femine touch was Lorna’s strength, and these made her stand out among leaders both locally and internationally. Known by her peers as a down to earth person, consistent,a person with no cloves who not matter what kind of work is not afraid to plunged into action with an aim of finding a solution; the country has truly lost  a leader who comes one in a million and a woman of substance. 

As Kenya mourns the departed leaders, the  women of Kenya have trully lost the shining star. In her we saw hope, we saw women’s leadeship in the mainstream politics and saw a sister who was there for everyone. May the almighty rest her soul in eternal peace.