Several nominated lawmakers have raised from just being nominated members to holding powerful offices, including the Office of the President. These leaders were first nominated into parliament but held their ground and established themselves as political household names.
Uhuru Kenyatta
In 2001, in an attempt to rejuvenate Kanu’s leadership before the forthcoming 2002 general election, the late President Daniel Arap Moi nominated Uhuru Kenyatta to Parliament and also appointed him to the cabinet.
In the 2002 General election, Moi announced that President Kenyatta was his preferred choice as Kanu’s candidate for the presidential election. Though he lost, Uhuru won the Gatundu South parliamentary seat, which he retained until his election as President of the Republic of Kenya until 2013.
Johnson Sakaja
Between 2013 and 2017, the 35 -year-old was a TNA -nominated MP. Sakaja also served as the National Chair of The National Alliance before the Jubilee party was formed in late 2016.
In the 2017 General elections, Sakaja vied for the Nairobi County senatorial seat and won, taking over from Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko. Sakaja is now aiming to become the next Nairobi governor in the August 9 general elections.
Also Read, Why Nominated MP David Sankok Wants Raila Out Of Presidential Race
Rachel Shebesh
Shebesh was a nominated MP between 2008 and 2013 in the 10th Parliament. Shebesh goes down in history as the first female lawmaker from Nairobi to be duly elected in compliance with the 2010 constitution during the 2013 general election.
In the 2017 elections, she lost to Esther Passaris but was appointed as Chief Administrative Secretary for the Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs by President Kenyatta.
Millie Odhiambo
In 2008, the current lawmaker for Suba North joined the National Assembly as a nominated MP.
In the 2013 general election, the vocal legislator was successfully elected as MP for Suba North on an ODM ticket and has since held the seat up to date.
Naisula Lesuuda
The former KBC Journalist was nominated by The National Alliance in 2013, upon which she became its youngest member. In the 2017 general elections, she dethroned Jonathan Lelelit to become the constituency’s first-ever female representative at the National Assembly.