Samuel Arama
{{short description|Kenyan politician}}
{{Use Kenyan English|date=January 2023}}{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Samuel Arama
| honorific-suffix = MP
| image =
| caption =
| office = Member of Parliament for Nakuru Town West
| leader =
| term_start = 4 March 2013
| predecessor =
| majority = 4,611 (6.4%)
| birth_date =
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Jubilee Party
| alma_mater =
| website =
| nationality = Kenyan
}}
Samuel Arama is a Kenyan politician who has served as a member of the National Assembly for the Nakuru Town West constituency since 2013. He is a member of the Jubilee Party, having previously represented the Orange Democratic Movement.
Early life
Arama attended Nairobi Technical High School and worked as an accounts clerk at the Ministry of Public Works. Since 1994, he has been Managing Director at Ortama Electrical Supplies and Scomic Computers Stationeries.{{Cite web|url=http://www.parliament.go.ke/node/3200|title=Hon. Arama, Samuel|website=The Kenyan Parliament Website|access-date=2020-08-03}}
Political career
Arama was elected to the national assembly in the 2013 Kenyan General Election, representing the Nakuru Town West constituency as a member of the Orange Democratic Movement.{{cite book |title=Data Report of 2013 Elections |url=https://www.iebc.or.ke/docs/4TH%20MARCH%202013%20GENERAL%20ELECTION%20DATA.pdf |publisher= Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission|page= |date=2013-03-30|access-date=2020-09-07}} In the 2017 election he was re-elected as a member of the Jubilee Party. A legal challenge to his 2017 re-election was made by the ODM candidate Dr Andrew Isoe Ochoki but this was subsequently withdrawn.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/kenya/counties/nakuru/reprieve-for-mp-samuel-arama-as-petitioner-withdraws-case-57062|title=Reprieve for MP Samuel Arama as petitioner withdraws case|website=Daily Nation|date=2018-06-30|access-date=2020-08-28}}
As an MP he has campaigned for the legalisation of the brewing and sale of the traditional brew bussa.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/kenya/counties/nakuru/samuel-arama-nakuru-west-mp-who-wants-busaa-legalised-221706|title=Samuel Arama: Nakuru West MP who wants busaa legalised|website=Daily Nation|date=2019-11-09|access-date=2020-08-28}}
In 2020, he was named as one of 19 members of the National Assembly who have not spoken on the floor of the parliament for the entire parliamentary session.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/kenya/news/politics/most-silent-kenyan-mps-parliament-1447054|title=Revealed: MPs who've never said a word in parliament|website=Daily Nation|date=2020-07-08|access-date=2020-08-28}}
During the COVID-19 pandemic Arama donated food and protective equipment to church pastors in Nakuru.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/kenya/counties/nakuru/-mp-s-donation-to-shield-nakuru-pastors-from-pandemic-909274|title=MP's donation to shield Nakuru pastors from pandemic|website=Daily Nation|date=2020-06-24|access-date=2020-08-28}}
=Election results=
{{Election box begin|title=General election 2017: Nakuru Town West{{cite book |title=Data Report of 2017 Elections |url=https://www.iebc.or.ke/uploads/resources/siEABKREDq.pdf |publisher= Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission|page= |date=2020-04-01|access-date=2020-08-28}}}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Jubilee Party|candidate=Samuel Arama|votes=29682|percentage=41.5|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Orange Democratic Movement|candidate=Ochoki Andrew Mingate Isoe|votes=25,071|percentage=35.0|change=+0.8}}
{{Election box candidate|party=Independent|candidate=Joseph Kariko Mwangi|votes=12,766|percentage=17.8|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate|party=Independent|candidate=Erick Otieno Ogada|votes=1,596|percentage=2.2|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate|party=Independent|candidate=Ezekiel Kiprotich Komen|votes=759|percentage=1.1|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Kenya African National Union|candidate=Debora Chepngetich Sang|votes=716|percentage=1.0|change=-1.8}}
{{Election box candidate|party=Chama Cha Mashinani|candidate=Stephen Kipkemoi A Koech|votes=581|percentage=0.8|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Amani National Congress|candidate=Peter Getare Ndubi|votes=218|percentage=0.3|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Forum for the Restoration of Democracy – Kenya|candidate=Fravian Wairimu Wacira|votes=169|percentage= 0.0|change=N/A}}
{{Election box candidate|party=Independent|candidate=Sospeter Nyakundi Nyanga Tomato|votes=50|percentage=0.1|change=N/A}}
{{Election box majority
|votes = 4,611
|percentage = 6.4
|change=
}}
{{Election box gain with party link
|winner = Jubilee Party
|loser = Orange Democratic Movement
|swing =
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change|title=General election 2013: Nakuru Town West}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|party=Orange Democratic Movement|candidate=Samuel Arama|votes=20255|percentage=34.2}}
{{Election box candidate no change|party=The National Alliance|candidate=Charles N. Maisiba|votes=17837|percentage=30.1}}
{{Election box candidate no change|party=United Republican Party|candidate=Mohamed Suraw Issak|votes=10540|percentage=17.8}}
{{Election box candidate no change|party=Federal Party Of Kenya|candidate=Ojwang James Omondi|votes=2629|percentage=4.4}}
{{Election box candidate no change|party=Narc|candidate=Joseph Kariko Mwangi|votes=2352|percentage=4}}
{{Election box candidate no change|party=United Democratic Forum Party|candidate=Mike Lumbaso Brawan|votes=2017|percentage=3.4}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Kenya African National Union|candidate=William Kibowen Towett|votes=1667|percentage=2.8}}
{{Election box candidate no change|party=Kenya National Congress Party Of Kenya|candidate=Victor Warutere|votes=815|percentage=1.4}}
{{Election box candidate no change|party=Wiper Democratic Movement- Kenya|candidate=Sammy Kipkorir
seroney|votes=375|percentage=0.6}}"
{{Election box candidate no change|party=United Democratic Movement|candidate=Raphael Kipsoi Arap Korir|votes=315|percentage=0.5}}
{{Election box candidate no change|party=Narc-kenya|candidate=Laban Kimathi Mukindia|votes=234|percentage=0.4}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change|party=Forum for the Restoration of Democracy – Kenya|candidate=Sospeter Tomato|votes=128|percentage=0.2}}
{{Election box majority no change
|votes = 2,418
|percentage = 4.1
}}
{{Election box turnout no change
|votes = 59,164
|percentage = 82.5%
|change =
}}
{{Election box end}}
Legal incidents
In 2015, Arama was accused of assaulting a voter in his constituency{{Cite web|url=https://www.nation.co.ke/kenya/news/for-nakuru-town-mp-samuel-arama-it-has-been-a-tale-of-controversy-60176|date=2018-06-27|access-date=2020-08-20|title=For Nakuru Town MP Samuel Arama, it has been a tale of controversy|website=Daily Nation}} and in 2019 was accused of drawing a gun at a political opponent in a Nakuru church.{{Cite web|url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/politics/article/2001330096/nakuru-mp-on-the-spot-over-gun-drama-in-church|title=Nakuru MP on the spot over gun drama in church|first=Daniel|last=Chege|website=The Standard|date=2019-06-16|access-date=2020-08-20}}
In June 2018, he was arrested on suspicion of land fraud{{cite web |url=https://www.nation.co.ke/counties/nakuru/MP-arrested-over-suspected-land-fraud/1183314-4626834-15eem2cz/index.html |title=Detectives arrest MP Samuel Arama over suspected land fraud |website=Daily Nation |access-date=2020-08-03 |date=2018-06-23}} along with his associate Kennedy Onkoba and detained over a weekend before being released on a Ksh 1m cash bail. He was charged with fraudulently acquiring land and conspiracy to commit fraud.{{Cite web |date=2018-06-26 |title=Hon Samuel Arama set free after three days in custody |url=https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/ktnnews/video/2000157245/hon-samuel-arama-set-free-after-three-days-in-custody |access-date=2020-08-20 |website=KTN News}} In 2019, he was acquitted due to lack of evidence.{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2019-11-22-nakuru-west-mp-samuel-arama-acquitted-of-graft-charges/|title=Nakuru west Mp Samuel Arama acquitted of graft charges|website=The Star|date=2019-11-22|access-date=2020-08-20}}