NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 13 — Former Kibaki-era cabinet minister and longtime Kilgoris MP Gideon Sitelu Konchellah has died while undergoing treatment in Nairobi, marking the end of a political career that spanned nearly two decades in national politics.
Konchellah served as MP for Kilgoris across multiple terms between 2003 and 2022, during which he was affiliated with several political parties, including the Party of National Unity (PNU), the United Republican Party (URP), and later the Jubilee Party.
Beyond his parliamentary role, Konchellah held a Cabinet position in former President Mwai Kibaki’s administration, serving as Minister for Immigration and Registration of Persons between 2006 and 2007.
During his tenure in the ministry, he oversaw key policy reforms, most notably the enactment of the Refugee Act of 2006.
The legislation marked a major shift in Kenya’s refugee management framework, replacing the colonial-era Control of Aliens Act with a more structured and humane legal system for the registration, protection, and administration of refugees in the country.
Over the years, Konchellah remained a prominent political figure in Narok County and Kilgoris politics, maintaining his parliamentary seat for multiple terms before unsuccessfully contesting for the Narok Senate seat in the 2022 General Election.