It is said that politics is a dirty game which is not for the faint-hearted. Many join politics and leave disappointed while some choose to stay and try again and again.
Today we take a look at three presidential candidates from 2013 and try and trace what they have been up to since then.
Professor James Ole Kiyiapi
During the 2013 general election, Ole Kiyiapi vied for the presidential post along businesswoman Winnie Kaburu with the Restore and Build Kenya Party(RBK). However, in the tough contested race, he lost his bid to be president to President Uhuru Kenyatta. In fact, Ole Kiyiapi only garnered 40, 998 votes with Paul Muite following him as last in the list of the eight presidential candidates for that year.
Prior to joining politics, Kiyiapi served as the Permanent Secretary for the ministry of education a post he had to resign in order to contest the presidential elections. Besides being a politician, Kiyiapi is also an academician and was absorbed back as a don at Moi University after losing the presidential bid.
Although much has been heard about the former permanent secretary, Ole Kiyiapi's dream to lead Kenya is still live. Sometimes back last year during the launch of Africa Rising Program by Childcare Worldwide, the don said that still Kenyans still owe him a chance to serve them seeing he sacrificed his position in order to serve them. Recently, Kiyiapi came out boldly in defence of the self-proclaimed General Miguna Miguna citing that Miguna is the kind of leader Kenya needs.
Paul Muite
This prominent Human Rights lawyer contested the presidential elections in 2013 and emerged last with 12, 580 votes. Muite had contested for the post along with his running mate Shem Ochuodho under the Safina Party. In the early 1990s, Muite was always the forefront during the fight for democratic reforms in Kenya. Before contesting for the presidential elections in 2013, Muite served as the Member of Parliament for Kabete Constituency.
In 2015, Muite was honored by the International Commission of Jurists as the year. The veteran lawyer seems to have abandoned politics for a while now and has been concentrating more on his profession as a lawyer. Last year, Muite together with Paul Lumumba defended the IEBC during the petition filed by NASA challenging the August 2017 general elections.
Mohamud Abduba Dida
Dida was a favorite candidate to many during the 2013 general elections due to his sense of humor. The former secondary school teacher rose to fame in 2013 and would always leave many nursing their ribs every time he talked. Surprisingly, Dida would beat other contestants who had been in politics for so many years such as Martha Karua. Despite being in politics for a very short period and having never been in politic before, Dida came in fifth position garnering 52,848 votes.
In 2017, Dida was back again vowing to unseat president Uhuru Kenyatta but still did not make it. However, Dida still managed to garner 8.866 votes in October repeat presidential elections.
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