Monday, February 15, was a sad day for the Kenyan parliament - the Senate and the National Assembly - following the death of Senator Mohammed Yusuf Haji and later in the evening Bonchari MP John Oroo Oyioka passed away.

An hour after Mzee Haji was buried in Lang'ata Muslim Cemetery, Mr Oyioka's family confirmed his death at the Aga Khan Kisumu Hospital where he was receiving medical treatment after falling ill.

The MP has been receiving treatment for a year after suffering a stroke earlier last year. Earlier this year he was admitted to the Aga Khan Kisumu Hospital where he has been receiving treatment.

Mr Oyioka, a longtime teacher, joined politics in 2013 where he ran for Bonchari parliamentary seat.

Unfortunately he was second in the election where he was defeated by Zebedeo Opore by only five votes.

He filed a lawsuit in the Kisii High Court challenging Opore's victory of 8,992 votes. And in a decision issued in September 2013, the court declared Oyioka the winner and gave him the opportunity to serve as Bonchari MP.

However, he served as MP for only six months as the Court of Appeal ordered a by-election in which Mr Opore won once again.

He did not give up as in 2017, Mr Oyioka ran for the Bonchari seat and emerged the winner of the KANU ticket which was affiliated with the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the election.

Unfortunately he passed away before completing his five-year term and joining the list of MPs who have died in this 12th term.

They are Justus Murunga (Matungu), James Lusweti Mukwe (Kabuchai) and senators Boniface Mutinda Kabaka and Yusuf Haji.

In addition to serving as a Member of Parliament for Bonchari, the late Oyioka has been a member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education where he made the most important contribution especially in terms of performance issues of the Ministry of Education.

The Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi has mourned Oyioka for naming him as a Member of Parliament who took his role in parliament and in the education committee he served.

"As a national parliament we recognize Mr. Oyioka as a staunch member of the education committee and who fought for the improvement of the quality of education across the country. On my behalf with the National Assembly I offer my condolences to the family and friends of the deceased, ”said Mr Muturi

Kisii Governor James Ongwae also expressed concern over Oyioka's death just hours after the county gave a farewell hand to Abagusii community politics Simeon Nyachae.

"My deepest condolences and prayers go to Kisii County in general for the family, relatives and friends of the gentleman," Ongwae said.

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