Roselinder Simiyu Atwoli, the wife of Central Organization of Trade Unions (COTU) Secretary General Francis Atwoli, has explained why she avoids using her husband's last name in public.
According to the Standard, Simiyu, who is currently vying for the Webuye West parliamentary seat, said she wants to progress in life on her own merit and not ride on her husband's name.
Simiyu stated, "In most cases, I have tried to avoid the name of my husband because people will perceive that I am leveraging my relation to Atwoli to vie," and added, "I am the only woman currently in the race for this seat and nobody should expect special treatment."
She also called on anyone interested in her potential to lead to look into her track record, including her service at Nzoia Sugar Company. Simiyu is currently focusing on education needs, promising to offer 100% bursary to needy students.
The approach by Simiyu can be seen as different from others who use their family names to gain political mileage.
It is worth noting that oddities within the Atwoli family are not new to the public, including the well-known differences between Francis Atwoli and his son, Lukoye, a senior lecturer at Moi University and a consultant psychiatrist.
The recovered account cited reporting by Tuko.
