Reuben Chesire: Farmer, KFA Chairman and MP for Eldoret North

Shared by Ogw Limo HP

First shared in The Wonders of Sergoit Hills Facebook group on 16 January 2026.

Reuben Kiplagat Chesire (27 March 1941 to 15 November 2008) was a prominent Kenyan politician who served as Member of Parliament for Eldoret North and as a cabinet minister between 1988 and 1997.

Chesire was born in Kabarnet, Baringo, the son of Isaiah Chemwetich Chesire and Elizabeth Kobilo Chesire. The family was close to the late President Daniel Toroitich arap Moi, who lived with the Chesires for much of his childhood. Reuben attended Kapropita Primary School and in 1960 the Royal Technical College in Nairobi, leaving in 1962 after passing his A levels.

He was appointed District Officer in Kwale later that year, the youngest DO in Kenya at the age of 21. In 1972 he was elected the first African chairman of the Kenya Farmers Association. Between 1973 and 1981 he chaired African Tours and Hotels, which was listed on the Nairobi stock exchange, and he also chaired the boards of the Kenya Dairy Board, the Industrial Development Bank and ICDC, among others.

A passionate farmer and livestock breeder, he is regarded as a midwife figure in Kenya’s agriculture, having pioneered many reforms during his time as KFA chairman and later as Minister for Livestock. His Ayrshire dairy herd at Makongi Farm was renowned, and he served as president of the world body of Ayrshire breeders' societies.

In the 1988 general election he was elected MP for Eldoret North in the then Uasin Gishu District, on a KANU ticket, and he was re-elected in 1992. He lost the seat to William Samoei Ruto in the December 1997 election, and later unsuccessfully challenged Ruto for Eldoret North.

First shared in The Wonders of Sergoit Hills Facebook group on 16 January 2026.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The History of the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) and Its Ties with the South African Dutch Reformed Church (DRC)

From the history of the Reformed Church of East Africa In the early 1900s, some people from the Boer republics in South Africa moved to Eastern Africa after the Anglo-Boer War. They didn't want to live under British rule, so they settled in Kenya. These migrant farmers were part of the Reformed Churches in South Africa. They formed their own congregation called Vergenoeg in Eldoret, Kenya. The land there was fertile and perfect for farming. At that time, Kenya was still a German colony called German East Africa, but it would soon become a British colony after World War I.  Rev. M. P. Loubser became the first minister of the congregation. He, along with other farmers, established a ministry among the farmworkers. In 1944, the congregation decided to call its first full-time missionary. Rev. Loubser had left money in his will specifically for mission work, which made this possible. They bought a school building called Broederstroom, which is now known as Plateau, to be used as a miss...
Read more

Ken-Knit (Kenya) Ltd.

Image
By William Kiptoo Ken-Knit (Kenya) Ltd. is a textile manufacturing company located in Eldoret, Kenya. It was founded in 1966 by three brothers - Gulabchand Shah, Somchand Shah, and Keshavlal Shah. With an initial capital of Sh50,000, the company started small with just one knitting machine producing hand-knitting yarn. However, over time, they expanded into spinning, blankets, knitwear, and other products. Initially focusing on hand-knitting yarn, Ken-Knit soon diversified into spinning units, blanket departments, and knitwear. They have grown into a major textile manufacturer in East Africa, known for their quality knitwear. In the late 1970s, they introduced a Composite spinning and dyeing plant for various types of yarn. Ken-Knit has kept up with modern technology, investing in machinery to ensure top quality and durability in their products. Ken-Knit offers a wide range of products, including sweaters, blankets, Maasai shukas, pillows, and kikois. They are also a leading manufactur...
Read more

Eldoret Town Estates

(Adopted from The Standard, Jan, 26, 2022) Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu is a rapidly growing urban center with a population of nearly half a million according to the 2019 national census. It is the sixth most populated town in Kenya after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Ruiru. Eldoret is known for having some of the oldest estates, established as people migrated to urban areas in search of jobs starting in the 1960s. These estates have unique names based on the social status and race of the residents. Some estates existed even before independence, with Africans living in estates like Kidiwa, Macharia, Kilimani, Majengo, and Kapsuswo near the Kipchoge Keino Stadium. Somalis lived in Kampi Somali, Indians in Eldoret West, and whites in Elgon View and Kapsoya estates. Elgon View estate was associated with affluent individuals such as politicians, athletes, civil servants, and businessmen. The estate was home to whites, government officials, and colonial administrators. After independ...
Read more