Former ODM party Nominated Senator Mercy Chebeni ( Photo Courtesy)
Though she was in the Senate for a full term, former ODM party Nominated Senator Mercy Chebeni had an uneventful stint in the Upper House.
She was consistently ranked as one of the least active Senators. But just as her nomination to the Senate in 2017 elicited mixed political reactions, her stint in the Senate was not any different.
In 2017, ODM party angered most of its faithfuls after picking the relatively unknown Chebeni for a nomination slot to represent youths.
At 25 years then, Chebeni became the youngest Senator in the country at the time and one of the youngest legislators in the history of Kenya.
But while in the House where she was expected to be the voice of the youth, Chebeni failed to live to the billing. Perhaps, she had been assigned tough assignment which was way beyond her limited political capacity.
In 2022, she opted not to run for any elective position. May be, politics was not her calling. As such, her stint as a lawmaker in the Senate may be interpreted as a matter of sheer luck.
After leaving the Senate which was her work place for five years, the former Nominated Senator has literally gone missing in action. She has never been active in ODM and Azimio la Umoja coalition political activities, a clear sign that she may have opted to take a backseat in politics.
But questions will always be raised on her whereabouts and her real political game plan going forward.
In the past, other youthful politicians have used the nomination slot to springboard their political careers. But the former ODM legislator decided to take her own route.
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001252641/odm-defends-nomination-of-24-year-old-senator&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwisltPEgvaBAxUjgv0HHUq_B5oQFnoECAcQAg&usg=AOvVaw0RKjYk_lFgHBrptWsnfeOS
https://www.google.com/url?q=https://info.mzalendo.com/person/mercy-chebeni/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwj8w8zinPeBAxXPPOwKHX-cCSwQFnoECAkQAg&usg=AOvVaw1FU-IlaxpPsUY5e_oLeuiL