Deputy President William Ruto has delivered a moving tribute to Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso at a requiem held at All Saints Cathedral in Nairobi.
Recounting his last moments with Laboso as she battled ovarian cancer, Ruto regretted that he never saw her alive again.
“I remember two months ago when I went to see Joyce in Nairobi Hospital. She looked jovial. She didn’t look like she was in great danger. I remember praying with her. I remember telling her she will go to London and come back and all will be well. I regret I was wrong. We don’t have Joyce today,” said Ruto.
The DP said Joyce was a woman of many firsts --- the first Kenyan female Deputy Speaker besides being among the first three female governors.
The DP met Laboso after the death of her sister Lorna Laboso in a plane crash in 2008 that also killed roads Minister Kipkalya Kones.
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According to the DP, she approached him for guidance.
“She told me, ‘you know my husband is Mr Abonyo and the way you know these politics it might become an issue’”.
I told her Joyce we will craft a message to deal with that. We will insist that you the daughter of Laboso. Please ask Edwin not to mind if we do not put his name in our arrangement.”
The DP praised Mr Edwin Abonyo for allowing his wife to join politics and supporting her throughout her leadership.
“Joyce had a special man for a husband because he never interfered with Joyce’s career. He actually supported Joyce as she pursued her political career. Even in the difficulty that Joyce went through, I want to say to my friend, Edwin, you became a true friend to your wife. You were always there,” said the DP.
Female leaders in attendance asked the Bomet Deputy Governor Dr Hillary Barchok, who is set to be sworn in as the governor, to pick a female as his deputy.
“The law allows the deputy to take the mantle of Bomet County leadership. We, the women of Kenya, wish to urge him once installed in office, to appoint a woman deputy to the position of a deputy governor,” said Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu.
Governor Laboso will be buried on Saturday in Fort Ternan Kisumu County.
