In politics, quitting is not always an option, even after losing in multiple elections. In Kenya, there have been multiple politicians who gave up after their first unsuccessful attempts and shifted focus to other pursuits.
Nevertheless, this is not the case for veteran politician Adipo Okuome, who lost in his quest for political seats for 37 consecutive years.
Despite facing defeats for over three decades, he never gave up. Eventually, he was elected to Parliament, where he serves to date and is currently in his second term.
Here, Times Digital Kenya takes a closer look at how Adipo Okuome never showed any sign of giving up, how he was finally rewarded, and what he does outside politics.
Quest for a Political Seat
Adipo Okuome first vied for a political seat in 1980, when he contested the Karachuonyo Member of Parliament seat.
At the time, he was a young man. Adipo lost, and while most of those who were defeated alongside him gave up, he saw it as only the beginning of his journey in the political arena.
For over three decades, he vied and lost in every subsequent election, but his efforts were not in vain. Despite facing repeated defeats and advancing in age, he never gave up.
In 2013, he lost the election to James Rege, but this defeat somehow paved the way for him in the next general election.
Within a few years, James Rege, who had previously won on an ODM party ticket, left the party, creating an opening for Adipo Okuome.
As 2017 drew closer, what seemed like bad luck almost struck again, as Adipo was on the brink of losing the ODM nomination. However, the process was repeated, and he eventually secured the ticket, prevailing over 17 other candidates vying for the ODM nomination.
Karachuonyo being an ODM stronghold, his 37-year losing streak came to an end in 2017, when he emerged victorious as the Member of Parliament for the constituency.
He entered Parliament for the first time at the age of 81, and during his first term, he served on the Parliamentary Finance Committee.
In the 2022 general election, he vied again on the ODM party ticket, where he emerged victorious. Adipo Okuome, now in his late 80s, is serving his second term and is the oldest MP not only in the Nyanza region but in the entire Kenya.
Professional Career
Adipo is an academic, having earned a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from the University of Maryland in the United States.
With his expertise in accounting, even before being elected to Parliament, he worked as an accountant in several organizations, including the Kenya Airports Authority, where he served as a senior accountant.
When he joined Parliament for his first term, he applied his finance and accounting experience in the National Assembly’s Finance Committee.
