Kipkalya Kones
Encyclopedia
Kipkalya Kiprono Kones – 10 June 2008) was a Kenya
n politician who served as a minister during the 1990s and was briefly Minister of Roads in 2008. He was a member of the National Assembly of Kenya
from 1988 to 2008.
He first attempted to win a parliamentary seat at the 1983 elections, but was beaten by Isaac Kipkorir Salat . Following the death of Salat in 1988, Kones won the seat from Bomet Constituency
at by-elections as part of the Kenya African National Union
(KANU) in 1988 and then was appointed as Assistant Minister of Agriculture by President Daniel arap Moi
. He was re-elected in the 1992 election
and was appointed by Moi as a Minister of State in the Office of the President. In the 1997 election
he was again re-elected, and Moi appointed him as Minister for Public Works and Housing; he was subsequently moved to the posts of Minister for Research, Science and Technology and Minister for Vocational Training.
Before the 2002 election, he fell out with president Moi and joined the Muungano wa Mageuzi movement led by James Orengo
. For the 2002 elections, Kones switched his affiliation to Ford-People, but lost the seat to Nick Salat, son of former MP Isaac Kipkorir Salat who represented KANU, the party Kones had recently left. However, he was appointed by Forum for the Restoration of Democracy for a nominated seat and thus remained a Member of Parliament. He was also appointed assistant minister for Public Works .
He opposed family planning among smaller tribes stating those tribes should grow in numbers to equal bigger tribes
As a member of the Orange Democratic Movement
(ODM), he again won the seat from Bomet in the December 2007 parliamentary election
. Kones was appointed as Minister of Roads in the grand coalition Cabinet, which was named on 13 April 2008 and included both the ODM and the Party of National Unity
(PNU); the Cabinet was sworn in on 17 April.
He was killed along with Assistant Minister of Home Affairs Lorna Laboso
in a plane crash on 10 June 2008. The plane crashed into a building in Kajong'a market near Nairagie Enkare in Enoosupukia, Narok District
, near Narok
and the Masai Mara game reserve
. The plane carrying Kones and Laboso, a Cessna
light aircraft, had taken off from Wilson Airport in Nairobi
; they had been flying to Kericho
in the Rift Valley
to help with the organization of logistics for ODM candidate Benjamin Langat in the by-election that was scheduled to be held in Ainamoi Constituency
on 11 June. In addition to Kones and Laboso, the pilot and a security guard were killed.
President Mwai Kibaki
sent his condolences and ordered flags to fly at half mast, saying that Kenya had "lost leaders of immense potential at their prime age and with a promising future." Prime Minister Raila Odinga
, the ODM leader, said that it was a "sad moment"; believing that it was too late to delay the planned by-elections, he urged ODM supporters to use the by-elections as a tribute to Kones and Laboso by turning out to vote for the ODM's candidates.
The "List of alleged perpetrators" of the 2007/2008 post-electoral violence of the Kenya National Human Rights Commission however lists him among the suspects on place 4 (page 180 s.) and charges him with "planning, incitement, and financing the
violence". Source: http://www.knchr.org/dmdocuments/KNCHR%20doc.pdf
Following the death of Kones, by-elections at Bomet Constituency were held on September 25, 2008. The seat was won by Beatrice Cherono Kones of ODM, the widow of Kipkalya Kones .
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n politician who served as a minister during the 1990s and was briefly Minister of Roads in 2008. He was a member of the National Assembly of Kenya
National Assembly of Kenya
The unicameral National Assembly of Kenya is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly has a total of 224 members. 210 members are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple majority system...
from 1988 to 2008.
He first attempted to win a parliamentary seat at the 1983 elections, but was beaten by Isaac Kipkorir Salat . Following the death of Salat in 1988, Kones won the seat from Bomet Constituency
Bomet
Bomet is a city in the Rift Valley Province, Kenya. It is the capital of Bomet District. Bomet has an urban population of 4426 and a total population of 42,024 . It is located along the B3 road between Nairobi and Kisii via Narok....
at by-elections as part of the Kenya African National Union
Kenya African National Union
The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU is a political party which ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002...
(KANU) in 1988 and then was appointed as Assistant Minister of Agriculture by President Daniel arap Moi
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...
. He was re-elected in the 1992 election
Kenyan general election, 1992
General elections were held in Kenya on 29 December 1992. Although they were the first multi-party elections since independence, the results were marred by allegations of ballot-box stuffing, and targeted ethnic violence in the Rift Valley Province...
and was appointed by Moi as a Minister of State in the Office of the President. In the 1997 election
Kenyan general election, 1997
General elections were held in Kenya on 29 December 1997. The result was a victory for the ruling Kenya African National Union, which won 107 of the 210 seats in the National Assembly, and whose candidate Daniel arap Moi won the presidential election...
he was again re-elected, and Moi appointed him as Minister for Public Works and Housing; he was subsequently moved to the posts of Minister for Research, Science and Technology and Minister for Vocational Training.
Before the 2002 election, he fell out with president Moi and joined the Muungano wa Mageuzi movement led by James Orengo
James Orengo
James Orengo, is a lawyer and former presidential candidate in Kenya. He comes from Ugenya Constituency of Siaya District; he was educated at Ambira Primary School and the Alliance High School. He is law graduate of the University of Nairobi where he was the student body president in his final year...
. For the 2002 elections, Kones switched his affiliation to Ford-People, but lost the seat to Nick Salat, son of former MP Isaac Kipkorir Salat who represented KANU, the party Kones had recently left. However, he was appointed by Forum for the Restoration of Democracy for a nominated seat and thus remained a Member of Parliament. He was also appointed assistant minister for Public Works .
He opposed family planning among smaller tribes stating those tribes should grow in numbers to equal bigger tribes
As a member of the Orange Democratic Movement
Orange Democratic Movement
Orange Democratic Movement refers to a political party in Kenya, which is the successor of a former grassroots people's movement which was formed in the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum. The erstwhile single party which separated in August 2007 into two...
(ODM), he again won the seat from Bomet in the December 2007 parliamentary election
Kenyan parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections in Kenya were held as part of the Kenyan general election on December 27, 2007; presidential elections were held on the same date....
. Kones was appointed as Minister of Roads in the grand coalition Cabinet, which was named on 13 April 2008 and included both the ODM and the Party of National Unity
Party of National Unity (Kenya)
Party of National Unity was founded as a political coalition of parties in Kenya. On September 16, 2007, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki announced the party formation and said that he would run as its presidential candidate in the December 2007 Kenyan elections...
(PNU); the Cabinet was sworn in on 17 April.
He was killed along with Assistant Minister of Home Affairs Lorna Laboso
Lorna Laboso
Lorna Chepkemoi Laboso was a Kenyan politician of the Orange Democratic Movement . She was briefly a Member of Parliament and Assistant Minister in 2008....
in a plane crash on 10 June 2008. The plane crashed into a building in Kajong'a market near Nairagie Enkare in Enoosupukia, Narok District
Narok District
Narok District is an administrative district in Kenya. The Narok District is located in the Rift Valley Province, and has a population of 365,750...
, near Narok
Narok
Narok is an town west of Nairobi that supports Kenya's economy in south-west Kenya, along the Great Rift Valley. Narok is the district capital of the Narok County and stands as the major centre of commerce in the district. Narok has a population of around 40,000 people, mostly Maasai...
and the Masai Mara game reserve
Masai Mara
The Maasai Mara National Reserve is a large game reserve in south-western Kenya, which is effectively the northern continuation of the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania...
. The plane carrying Kones and Laboso, a Cessna
Cessna
The Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
light aircraft, had taken off from Wilson Airport in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
; they had been flying to Kericho
Kericho
Kericho is a Kenyan County located to the South West of the country and lies within the highlands west of The Great Rift Valley. The capital of the district is Kericho town. The district home to the best of Kenyan Tea which is world famous for its brightness, attractive color, brisk flavor and...
in the Rift Valley
Great Rift Valley
The Great Rift Valley is a name given in the late 19th century by British explorer John Walter Gregory to the continuous geographic trench, approximately in length, that runs from northern Syria in Southwest Asia to central Mozambique in South East Africa...
to help with the organization of logistics for ODM candidate Benjamin Langat in the by-election that was scheduled to be held in Ainamoi Constituency
Ainamoi Constituency
Ainamoi is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of three constituencies of Kericho District. The constituency was established for the 1997 elections.- Members of Parliament :- Locations and wards :...
on 11 June. In addition to Kones and Laboso, the pilot and a security guard were killed.
President Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...
sent his condolences and ordered flags to fly at half mast, saying that Kenya had "lost leaders of immense potential at their prime age and with a promising future." Prime Minister Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga
Raila Amollo Odinga , also popularly known to Kenyans as Agwambo, is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as the Prime Minister of Kenya in a coalition government. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Langata since 1992, was Minister of Energy from 2001 to 2002, and was Minister of Roads,...
, the ODM leader, said that it was a "sad moment"; believing that it was too late to delay the planned by-elections, he urged ODM supporters to use the by-elections as a tribute to Kones and Laboso by turning out to vote for the ODM's candidates.
The "List of alleged perpetrators" of the 2007/2008 post-electoral violence of the Kenya National Human Rights Commission however lists him among the suspects on place 4 (page 180 s.) and charges him with "planning, incitement, and financing the
violence". Source: http://www.knchr.org/dmdocuments/KNCHR%20doc.pdf
Following the death of Kones, by-elections at Bomet Constituency were held on September 25, 2008. The seat was won by Beatrice Cherono Kones of ODM, the widow of Kipkalya Kones .