Major (Rtd) John Seii is among a 14-member team that was recently unveiled to bring to fruition a peace pact that was reached following a surprise meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition chief Raila Odinga about seven weeks ago.
Seii has been a notable figure in peacebuilding activities in the North Rift region, especially after the 2007 post-election violence. However his involvement in peacebuilding begun as far as during the 1992 tribal skirmishes.
He is a former army general which he left in 1983. Seii was once quoted by a local daily claiming that he unfairly sacked from the Armed Forces during the Moi administration and attributed his woes to a former powerful Cabinet minister, the late Nicholas Biwott.
This is perhaps because of his wife, Amb. Tabitha Seii's active role in forcing the Kanu Government under President Moi to repeal Section 2A of the Constitution, introducing pluralism to Kenya in 1992.
According to Mrs. Seii, her husband who was a major was dismissed “for failing to control his wife.”
Mrs. Seii later unsuccessfully vied against Biwot for the Keiyo South Parliamentary seat in 1992 and 1997.
Did you know that Major (Rtd) John Seii was the first elected chairman of the Kalenjin Council of Elders in 2009?
In the August 8 general elections, he is widely remembered for pushing for the sharing of top Uasin Gishu county positions amongst the three regions, a proposal that was perceived to be Pro-Governor Mandago who was facing a stiff competition from billionaire business mogul Zedekiah Bundotich popularly known as Buzeki.
Currently, Major (Rtd) Seii is the coordinator of the Myoot council of Elders and the chairman of the Uasin Gishu Peace Forum.