National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has been forced to set the record straight after rumours spread wildly online and in Kwanza constituency alleging that area MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi had died.
Speaking on Thursday, December 4, Wetang’ula dismissed the claims as malicious and irresponsible, confirming that the veteran legislator is alive, stable, and receiving specialised treatment in India.
“I want to inform the House that Hon. Ferdinand Wanyonyi is unwell. He was in Nairobi Hospital for about a month, and the doctors recommended that we take him to India,” Wetang’ula told MPs.
The Speaker revealed that he personally spoke to the MP just a day before, while the Clerk of the National Assembly also held a conversation with him on Thursday morning.
“I had a conference call with him yesterday, and this morning the Clerk did the same. I am saying this to send a message to the evil rumourmongers in his constituency claiming he passed on and that we are hiding information.
He has NOT passed on. He is in a hospital in India and responding well to treatment,” Wetang’ula emphasized.
The rumours had triggered anxiety among residents of Kwanza and on social media, prompting the Speaker to issue a rare, direct clarification on the MP’s condition.
Wetang’ula described the rumours as cruel and urged Kenyans to avoid spreading unverified information about leaders undergoing medical treatment.
Recent Loss in Parliament
The clarification comes barely weeks after Parliament was hit by the death of Dr Philip Brightone Buchere, a senior Parliamentary Service staffer. Dr Buchere died on November 24 while receiving treatment at the University Hospital Würzburg in Germany.
Wetang’ula described the loss as “sudden, untimely, and shocking,” praising the late officer for over a decade of exemplary service.
Dr Buchere joined the Parliamentary Service on 1st November 2013 as Director of Curriculum Development, Training, and Research at the CPST, later heading the Senate Liaison Office.
He also chaired the Parliamentary Service Commission Staff Pensions Scheme Board of Trustees, where he championed prudent investment and helped deliver a record return in the 2024/2025 financial year.
He additionally led the rollout of the Post-Retirement Medical Scheme, implemented on 1st July 2022, a milestone in welfare reforms for Parliamentary staff.
Wetang’ula said funeral arrangements will be communicated once finalized by the family.
“His death is a devastating loss to the Parliamentary Service and the wider public service. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and colleagues,” he said.
