Lawrence Sifuna

The Honourable
Lawrence Sifuna
Member of the Kenyan Parliament for Bumula
In office
1997–2002
Succeeded bySylvester Waakoli Bifwoli
Member of the Kenyan Parliament for Kanduyi
In office
29 December 1992 – 1997
Preceded byMaurice Makhanu
Member of the Kenyan Parliament for Bungoma South
In office
8 November 1979 – 1988
Succeeded byMaurice Makhanu
Personal details
BornLawrence Simiyu Sifuna
(1946-01-23)23 January 1946
Colony and Protectorate of Kenya
Died3 December 2023(2023-12-03) (aged 77)
Eldoret, Uasin Gishu, Kenya
Resting placeSiritanyi, Kanduyi Constituency, Bungoma
CitizenshipKenya
Party
Other political
affiliations
Orange Democratic Movement (2022)
Spouses
  • Antonina Mefa Nabangala Sifuna
  • Rufina Sifuna
  • Monica Sifuna
Children13
OccupationAccountant

Lawrence Simiyu Sifuna (23 January 1946 – 3 December 2023) was a Kenyan politician who was a member of Parliament for Bumula, the first MP of that constituency. He was first elected to the Kenyan Parliament on 8 November 1979 in the then larger Bungoma South constituency. Sifuna was re-elected in 1983 too. He lost to former North Eastern Provincial Commissioner Maurice Makhanu in the 1988 Kenyan general election after the Bungoma South constituency was renamed Kanduyi. Sifuna recaptured the seat during the first multi-party 1992 Kenyan general election on a Ford Asili ticket.

Early life and education

Sifuna went to Sang'alo School and Nalondo Intermediate School before he moved to Mariri College in Uganda, where he sat for the Cambridge General Certificate of Education (CGCE) examination. He was a fully trained chartered accountant, a Fellow of Chartered Accountants (FCA) and a Fellow of the Association of International Accountants (FAIA). Sifuna was a household name in Bungoma County popular for defending the welfare of sugarcane growers.

Career

Sifuna served as a member of parliament for the Bungoma South constituency from 1979 to 1983, when he was re-elected on the Kenya African National Union party ticket, which ended in 1988.

In the 1988 election, Bungoma South constituency was subdivided into smaller constituencies and he lost the seat to Maurice Makhanu for the Kanduyi member of parliament seat. He was elected to represent Kanduyi in the December 29, 1992 election under the Forum for the Restoration of Democracy - Asili party ticket to serve till 1997. Bumula constituency was established ahead of the 1997 elections, for which he contested its representation and won till 2002.

On the national stage, Sifuna was remembered as one of the left-wing members of parliament in the 1980s (a.k.a. the seven bearded sisters) who persistently attacked Attorney General Charles Njonjo and government policies that clamped down on the basic human rights of Kenyans. Others included Koigi wa Wamwere, James Orengo, Abuya Abuya, Chibule wa Tsuma, Onyango Midika, Mwashengu wa Mwachofi and Philomena Chelangat Mutai. They were part of the larger group that fought for Kenya's second liberation, Omumutilu, Kenya's Second Liberation Fighter and a member of the bearded sisters.

Personal life

Sifuna is the uncle to the current Nairobi senator, Edwin Sifuna. He died on 2 December 2023, at the age of 77 in Eldoret while receiving treatment.

References

  1. ↑ KUSIMBA, SIMBI (12 December 2002). "Kenya: Bumula Poised for a bruising two-horse race". AllAfrica. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  2. ↑ "Ex Bungoma MP Lawrence Sifuna passes away". www.mpasho.co.ke. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  3. 1 2 "Former Bungoma South MP Lawrence Sifuna dies". 2023-12-03.
  4. ↑ Lusigi, Benard. "Retired but not tired, former PC now a champion of arbitration". The Standard. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  5. 1 2 GROUP, NTV KENYA-NATION MEDIA. "NTV Kenya: Former Bungoma South MP Lawrence Sifuna dies". NTV Kenya. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  6. ↑ "Inside the decorated career of ex-MP Lawrence Sifuna who died today". Pulse Kenya. 2023-12-03. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  7. ↑ Khakayi, Valerian. "Edwin Sifuna's family thrown into deep mourning after loss of family member". K24 Digital. Retrieved 2026-07-16.