Eugene Wamalwa credits late Mzee Johnston Barasa for his rise in politics
By Cy Muganda, January 24, 2026DAP-K Party Leader Eugene Wamalwa has paid tribute to the late Mzee Johnston Barasa Murunga, crediting him as a central figure in shaping his political journey and anchoring his rise from a young lawyer to national leadership.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Saturday, January 24, 2026, Wamalwa revealed how his professional relationship with Barasa two decades ago laid the foundation for his political success.
“Twenty years ago, I met Mzee Johnston Barasa Murunga, the Chairman of Wehoya farm who hired me as their lawyer to assist in securing title deeds for his members who had struggled in vain for years to get title deeds for their farms and promised me that if l succeeded, he would ensure l am elected Mp for Saboti in 2007,” Wamalwa stated.
From lawyer to MP
Wamalwa, then a young lawyer who had lost the 2003 Saboti by-election following the death of his brother, former Vice President Michael Kijana Wamalwa, took up the title deeds challenge with determination.
By 2007, he had successfully delivered title deeds for his clients, who kept their promise and overwhelmingly voted him into parliament with almost 70,000 votes.
“As a young lawyer and aspirant for the Saboti parliamentary seat, l took up the task with gusto and by 2007 l had delivered title deeds for my clients who kept their word and overwhelmingly voted me to parliament with a landslide of almost 70,000 votes which was one of the highest wins after Hon David Mwende of Embakasi and Hon William Ruto of Eldoret North,” he said.
Wamalwa revealed that Mzee Barasa actively promoted him to chairmen of other farms in Trans Nzoia, including Bikeke, Kaliwa, Masaba, Amani, Tulwet, Amuka, Moi farm, Weonia, Mengo, Sabata, Nyakinyua, Nyamira, and Meso.
“Mzee Barasa talked to Chairmen of other farms about this young Wamalwa lawyer who like the late George Kapten was fighting for the people of Trans Nzoia to get title deeds, and my fame grew beyond Saboti,” he stated.
Reciprocal support
After his election to Parliament, Wamalwa said he nominated Mzee Barasa as a councillor in the Kitale Municipal Council, and continued to work closely with him as a political adviser and campaigner throughout his rise in national politics during the Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta administrations.
“After I became MP, I nominated Mzee Barasa as a Councilor in the Kitale Municipal Council, and we continued working with him as my political advisor and campaigner who saw me grow politically up to the highest level of National leadership as part of the Kibaki and Uhuru Presidency and always prayed for me to reach the highest office in our land,” Wamalwa said.
The DAP-K leader expressed deep sorrow at Barasa’s death on January 18, 2026, describing him as more than a friend but the hand that rocked his political cradle.
“I come home to Kitale, Wehoya, with a heavy heart today, to pay my last respects to Mzee Barasa, who passed away on 18th January 2026. He was not just a friend and confidant but literally the hand that rocked my political cradle and imbued in me values of honesty, humility, integrity, hard work and servant leadership,” Wamalwa stated.
The burial was attended by several leaders, among them National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Kenya’s Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat Ambassador Susan Nakhumicha, MCAs and other local leaders.