WOOOAH! : From Walking Bare Feet to Working in the US Army!

 For those who know him, Benson Cheserek as been a true definition of what inspiration is. From his powerful talks via KASS international to the charity projects he is undertaking on the grassroots; he is undeniably a man who the current world is in a need of. Cheserek recently took us through what life has had to offer for him since he was young, struggling to grow in the villages bordering dense hyena infested Cherangani Forest to what he is now. He did this via a Facebook post. Here is his amazing story which he titled it **My Story-Story Of A Boy**


"Back in the day while I was growing up in Lelan, at the end of every term, my mother would make me visit my grandma in Chemosong, a village border of West Pokot on Marakwet West, say about 30 min jog/1hr walk from kaptalamwa center. There, I would have to spend the last week before primary school re-opening helping her in taking care of her sheep, cows & chicken. On the day of return, my grandma would give me a guard full of sour milk “mursik ” in a pokot style “sotet”. He would carefully put the delicate guard in a used fertilizer bag “chebiree”.
She could also give me a “hen” which I am learning to be one of the greatest lessons in my lifetime. After bidding kokoo goodbye, I would carefully walk home, mugula with my Mursik & a precious gift to grandson (a hen, tied in the legs). Given the delicacy of the two things I was carrying, I would meticulously walk home slowly hoping nothing weird chases me & make me fall and lose the milk or the hen to miraculously run away in the middle of dense grass vegetation.
Thank goodness every time I arrived home safe. Now, the story of hen is quite interesting. On arriving home, last two days to start of school term, my brothers & I had to build my “hen “a four legged raised bamboo house behind our boy’s house “we didn’t build the boys house, technically we inherited from dad when he moved to mabati house”. I made sure that the roof of the hen house was well thatched, made a ladder for her, made sure it had a good secure door to keep away the nocturnal predators.
Then, I kept my prayers intact that the wondering neighbors (katitu) cockerel would make sure my “hen” would lay fertilized eggs. Sure enough few days after, I noticed a pathway to a small bush near our house & there you go…. few white eggs.
School had already started & every day, I could not hide my joy when I got home from school. I prayed that when they hatch, they will all be alive. I secured the location of eggs making sure that there was no rain for the 21 days my hen was going to be in seclusion to prepare the chicks to hatch.
On a surprise Friday afternoon, I arrived home with sounds of tiny chicks. I had forgotten counting days. Before I could take my meal, or undo my blue & yellow uniform, I ran straight to the house to see my precious gifts. Joy on the face of a little boy could not be hiden anymore. Lucky enough, all of them except one had hatched nice and healthy looking chicks.
That Sunday, my mother allowed me to build another structure near our fence to safeguard the chicks from sky predators “chesirere” when I was gone to school. Every Saturdays while tendering to my mother’s pyrethrum garden, I would collect earthworms, place them in container “kasuku korogoro” so that when I go for lunch, my chicks would also have a good lunch. I watched them in disbelieve blossom & hoped that one day, they will grow up, I will sell some to buy my mother sugar, and have some change to take to school games.
Every Saturday while helping mom clamp the calf’s as she milks “lelkina” or “samoo”, I would watch the Airplanes waay up on the sky, emitting white smoke. I would tell her, “mom one-day mom”, I will be on that plane. I didn’t know it would become a reality.
My story is a story of every son. A son who imagined things that never thought could happen. That is why every time, when I drive to kokos place Chemosong, & find a boy walking on that road with his “hen” to the nearest center, I make sure I give a lift (ride). Because that boy is me few years ago. That boy sitting in the kitchen fireplace with her sisters helping mom wash dishes as she prepares evening meal is my story. My story is a story of father now watching TV with his son, hoping that one day, the son will become somebody. That is why when I meet that girl or boy going to posho meal, I give a lift (ride) because that is me…few years ago.
I never imagined I could sit in front of microphone & TV camera talking to millions of Kalenjin’s. I never thought a son carrying a “hen” one day could get an opportunity to work in one of the most prestigious & powerful forces in the world.
My story is a story of HOPE, where HOPE TRIUMPHS always. Nothing is impossible in this world. Everything blossoms when you to take care of it. Everything becomes something when you give the attention it deserves. My “hen” in another country is a million industry.
My story is your story. It can only be summarized in one word.
(NBG)"

TULLOW STRIKES OIL IN KERIO VALLEY!!

Tullow Oil Company has finally stroke oil in the Kerio Valley Basin! This is if a report by the county senator is anything to go by. Onesimus Kipchumba Murkomen, fondly known as OKM posted the following on his facebook timeline:
"Good news from my county: Tullow discovers first oil well in Cheptuket-1, Kerio Valley Basin!"

Tullow Oil Company, the same plant that discovered oil in Northern Kenya has been doing some serious exploration along the arguably oil rich Kerio strip and this might just have paid off in time. We are waiting to get an official declaration from the company.
 

A MARAKWET WEST SON SAVES A CHILD'S FUTURE

This is where it all started

A renown Marakwet West Philanthropist Benson Cheserek,  recently won the hearts of social media enthusiasts when he helped spark a campaign that saw an otherwise helpless girl take a step towards realizing her dream.

Irine Jesang, a student at St. Francis Girls' High school, Suwerwa had hit a snag and completely lost hope when the mother, only identified as Mary failed to raise the Ksh40,000 needed for her to pick up with her studies. The case was brought to the attention of members of a messaging service social media called Marakwet West Dreams by Kibet Evans from Koitugun Area and also a nieghbour the afflicted.

 As it turns out, Jesang had been promised a full scholarship by a 'well wisher' (name withheld) who is vying for Elgeyo Marakwet gubernatorial seat but that did not materialize as the supposed sponsor, who leads a national manufacturing and processing company, called in a week later with unfortunate news that he had no money to facilitate the same.
Jesang's mother, wallowing in abject desperation of wanting her daughter to achieve her dreams and later transform the household's image and status, hopefully, started running all over for anybody with a heart of flesh to chip in and help. Kibet, who had been a major link between the girl and the runaway sponsor did however not desert her. He brought the case to the social forum group and members started brainstorming of how to get to the bottom of it all. It was during this tricky moment of sixes and sevens with members giving suggestions ranging from lobbying the constituency bursary committee to allocate her to calling the area mp to personally help that Benson Cheserek stroke gold.

 He told members to stop mulling over impossibilities and walk the talk. He then went ahead and psyched members into contributing there and then by sending their contribution to Kibet's mobile number, starting with his own. (see picture above) This single step by a brave and human heart sparked off a very successful week long online fund raiser that saw Jesang pick up her seemingly shattered dreams. As i am typing this, the figure is already to the tune of Ksh 52,000 and she has reported to school this morning.  To the utmost disbelief of her extremely joyous mother, teachers and her friends.

" When all these talking on the many social groups we have hushes down, everybody retreats to their comfort zone and the problem is left hanging", said Cheserek when i contacted him over phone. He further went ahead and stated that, the current Marakwet West society is filled with a lot of talks and almost null actions. He termed his action as a step to cocking people, especially leaders up to get them notice the gravity of the tribulations the common mwananji is grappling with down here, getting back to the fact that, the constituency development office had reportedly been informed of the same.

There has been widespread allegations of skewed allocation of student bursary across the constituency which however is not confirmed.              

IT IS A BABY BOY! KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN'S EFFORTS PAY OFF.

 

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator's mini clan is slowly bulging. This is if what he posted some few minutes ago on his facebook timeline is anything to go by. The flamboyant senator broke the news of his new born son whom he has officially named according to the dictates of the traditional Marakwet Customs.  He has named the boy Kiberur which means one who brings blessings or the blessed one in his local dialect.  Here is his earlier post.

 "Breaking news....My son Kiberur Kipchumba was born today at 6:35 PM. He is 4.075 KG and 53.7 centimeters. Congratulations my dear Gladys Wanjiru Kipchumba. We are truly blessed."

MARAKWET WEST! BATTLE OF THE TITANS

A battle of the elephants in shaping up in Marakwet West Constituency with the incumbent MP Hon. William Kisang facing an acid test from the onslaught of a combined force of Old and new entrants in the political fray.
As usual, as directed by the gods, the messenger of the gods Will move with speed to separate the chaff from the wheat.

Mark these names well: Chepkole, Chemweno and Cheserek. I won't mind if you add Chemelil, the seer of the gods! Throw in Hon. Boaz, Kaptoge and Wes Toro and the political chess board will be complete.
But mark the words of the gods; it will be battle royal between Benson Cheserek, a US based son of the soil from Kapcherop Division and the incumbent Hon. Kisang. Tighten your belts; Star Wars is here!
One factor may derail Hon. Kisang's political life: heavy opposition from his own backyard. Chemweno and Chepkole all hail from Arror and the trio are literal 'relatives' who ail from a ten-mile radius village.
The Marakwet lore has the expression' Keamge akutan'(to eat each other's intestines). This is what is exactly happening in Arror. The fight between brothers seems to have handed Benson Cheserek a field day as he watches this fight from a safe distance.
Secondly, the Kiptooyot Komaas Kasiit flu seems to have caught up with Marakwet West Constituency. Benson Cheserek seems to have read the mood well and has started initiatives targeting the granary of youth votes. He recently organized a major football tournament with Andrew Singh of Northern Carolina in Kapcherop Division and is heavily involved in Gotabgaa activities geared towards empowering the youth through schorlarships.
I can hear some asking: where does that leave Hon. Boaz Kaino? To be honest, Hon. Boaz has near-fanatical following from a political base that dates back to his days as the Principal of a medical college in Nakuru.Nothing will sway this solid base and he is likely to eat into a huge chunk of the political wild-meat.
Third, the political atmosphere in Kapcherop Division and the entire Kuserwa and Kapsowar Division seems to be ready for change. Hon. Kisang will have to contend with this wind. As noted Kapcherop are fronting Cheserek and this rubbishes all the perception that people have over the years been having of Kapcherop being a political bedroom for incumbent leaders. One of pro Kisang Hon Kisang's long time supporters in Kapcherop told this writer that the Kisang team has lost ground massively. " I don't know what these Cheserek has given people in Kapcherop as every tongue is talking him" said the middle aged man seeking anonymity due to his present anonymity and benefits from the current MP.