Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso has died of cancer.
She succumbed at the Nairobi Hospital aged 58 years, family sources confirm.
Governor Laboso was under medication two weeks after arriving from India from London where she had been hospitalised.
Earlier today, the hospital announced that she had been put under bed rest under the close attention of doctors.
On July 14, 2019, Bomet Deputy Governor Hillary Barchok urged the residents to stay calm and pray for her recovery.
The Governor’s ailment has remained undisclosed. Dr Barchok had urged the nation to respect her privacy.
On May 29, Governor Laboso left the country for Britain for treatment. She was admitted at the Royal Madden NHS Hospital where she underwent treatment for nearly a month.
She was then transferred to India for further treatment three weeks ago.
While in Britain, NASA leader Raila Odinga, Ambassador Manoah Espisu, Chief Justice David Maraga and Kericho Governor Paul Chepkwonyvisited her. Former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto also paid her a visit.
Joyce’s death is yet another tragedy for the Laboso’s. On June 10, 2008, her sister Lorna Laboso, who was an assistant minister, and Cabinet Minister Kipkalya Kones died in a plane crash.
Dr Laboso won the Sotik Parliamentary Seat on an ODM party ticket in 2008.
The former French lecturer at Egerton University had been pulled from the lecture hall to fill the gap left by her younger sister Lorna.
The ODM had insisted that Lorna’s seat and that of Kones be retained within their respective families to honour their contribution to the party’s campaign in the run-up to the 2007 General Election.
Joyce would later be elected as the National Assembly Deputy Speaker before being elected Bomet Governor during the 2018 General Elections when she floored the incumbent Isaac Ruto of Chama Cha Mashinani party.
Together with Charity Ngilu of Kitui and Anne Waiguru of Kirinyaga, they made history being elected the first female governors in Kenya.
More follows…
Additional reporting Bosco Marita