While some have touted Kenyan minds to be forgetful after a short while, the incident where Budalangi MP Ababu Namwamba swore by Raila Odinga’s name during the 10th Parliament remains fresh.
January 15, 2008, Ababu stole the show after taking the oath and swore by “President Raila Odinga” as opposed to retired President Mwai Kibaki.
Fast forward to today, he says he regrets having sworn by Raila’s name after a bitter fall out with ODM leadership.
But Ababu’s political journey started way back in high school.
Ababu’s political interest started way back in high school after reading a political masterpiece titled “Not Yet Uhuru”.
He joined Ford Kenya’s Youth wing and later on got admitted to University of Nairobi where he remained actively involved in the party’s affairs. His penchant for politics saw him elected Student leader at the University in 1996.
Upon completion of his studies, he joined the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 2002. Even after he went for his post graduate studies in Washington, he remained an active member of LDP by championing its policies in the Diaspora.
He later returned to Kenya and joined ODM which he says he is a founder member of and successfully vied for Budalangi seat which he has held since 2007.
Before his unceremonious departure from the Orange Party, he described himself as a general whose gun has no bullet.
However, besides being a firebrand politician, Ababu has one enviable family life that many Kenyans know little of.
The 42-year old was born in Jinja, Uganda to Kenyan parents in 1975. He is the last born in a family of eight.
He is married to Prisca Namwamba and together, they have four children.
Namwamba is a law graduate from University of Nairobi and also holds a Master of Laws Degree (LLM) in International Law from American University’s Washington College of Law.
The vocal politician adores his family and he once said that if he had to choose between his political career and his family; he would definitely pick his family.
“Family is everything to me. If were to make a choice between politics and family, I would definitely choose family because when shit happens, these are the people who are gonna be by my side for the rest of my life.”
He has in the past excited Kenyans after his photos with his family enjoying vacation in different parts of the world emerged in social media, something quite rare for political figures in the country.
The now Labour Party of Kenya (LPK) boss, says he looks forward to “bursting a myth”- that he cannot win any elective seat unless he is in ODM.
“Among the things I enjoy most in life is bursting myths. I can’t wait for August 8.”
Ababu says that he has footing in Budalangi and August 8 will speak louder than his words.