Vocal non-conformist finds his voice in August House
By Wycliffe Kipsang, July 28, 2025Harold Kimuge Kipchumba has always been branded as a “lost” man because of his stand on many issues in the vote-rich Rift Valley, always going against the “people’s” expectations.
It, however, seems his lonesome decision finally paid off after he was nominated by ODM as the MP to replace John Mbadi, who was appointed National Treasury Cabinet Secretary.
Kipchumba, 63, speaks his mind and is ready to criticise what he feels is wrong without any regrets.
In an interview with People Daily, Kipchumba vowed to use his newly-found status to lobby for the National Assembly to set up Social Protection Programme policies for people with disabilities.
He vowed to also push for Persons with Disabilities Act to be done to its completion.
“There are a lot of disabled people who are not in a position to cater for their families as they are bedridden. Apart from the current programme, which benefits people aged 65, the disabled should also be brought on board to cater for their welfare,” said Kipchumba, who is physically challenged.
Kipchumba, who was affected by polio at a tender age, promised to put the government on its toes to ensure that the spirit of devolution is adhered to the letter.
The Lenana School alumni said that they will also compel all employers to ensure that their buildings are friendly and accessible to PWDs.
National face
“The spirit of devolution will only be realised if county governments become inclusive in appointing Executive Committee Members. At least a disabled person should be represented in such committees,” said Kipchumba.
The nominee received a lot of kind words from the ODM party and its party leader, Raila Odinga, for nominating him, irrespective of where he comes from.
“My nomination to the National Assembly by ODM as a Kalenjin from Rift Valley, where they didn’t get much votes, shows that it is a party which believes in inclusion and not tribal as opposed to others,” said the father of three boys.
He also cited the case of Isaac Mwaura, who was also nominated to the National Assembly in the past by the Orange party despite coming from a region where the majority of whom were perceived to be in The National Alliance (TNA).
“Despite not clinching the presidency, ODM stands out as a party with a national face. It looks at the competence of individual people as opposed to where you come from. Others awarded their cronies,” said Kipchumba, who runs Bare Care, a Baringo County-based Community Based Organisation (CBO) that deals with governance and democracy.
Kipchumba, who holds a Master’s degree in local government governance and leadership from the Training Centre for Development Cooperation in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, plunged into civil society in 1999, where he founded Bare Care.
He was involved in the constitution-making process when he mobilised people with disabilities to present their views to the Constitution of Kenya Review Commission (CKRC) led by Prof Yash Ghai.
He was also at the forefront in the formation of United Disabled Persons of Kenya (UPDK), where he once served as the National Vice Chairman.
Kipchumba is also credited for being the brainchild of the Baringo Society for People with Disabilities, which has seen people with disabilities in the area come out and register with relevant organisations to be assisted, as opposed to the scenario in the past where they could hide due to stigma.
Indeed, his avid agitation for human rights and democracy saw him brush shoulders with the former President Daniel Moi’s regim,e which saw him arrested many times.
“I was locked up several times in the pretext that I was a critic of the government,” said the eloquent politician who also won the prestigious UN Person of the Year award in 2015.
Kipchumba developed complications at the age of three years and lost the ability to walk.
“After trying everything, my parents left it to fate, and that’s when they were told that I could no longer walk,” he revealed.
According to Kipchumba’s mother, Kobilo Kimuge, it was difficult raising a child with disabilities.
“It was tough. I used to cry day and night. I couldn’t do anything in the house or on the farm just to take care of him. Even neighbours would tell me this is a curse,” said Kobilo.
The mother finally gave up and left his son to be taken care of by a group of missionaries who took him to a home for disabled children in Kisumu.
Kipchumba worked briefly with the Ministry of Education before plunging into the civil society world.
He will represent PWDs under the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party. His nomination has officially been published in the Kenya Gazette.
He replaces Mbadi, whose name has been officially deleted from the IEBC’s First Schedule of nominated Members of the National Assembly.
The nomination becomes effective as per the Gazette Notice issued on July 24, 2025.