Kisii Senator Richard Onyonka has shared rare details about his personal life, revealing how a friendship formed in the United States gradually blossomed into a long-term marriage with former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission commissioner Roselyn Akombe.
“One Thing Led to Another”
Speaking during a radio interview on Monday, May 25, 2026, Onyonka recalled first meeting Akombe while working in New York.
“I met Rose when I was working in New York, and we just became friends and continued discussing things and everything,” he said.
The senator explained that their friendship eventually developed into a relationship over time.
“One thing led to another, and here we are. We have lovely children, and life moved on.”
Onyonka Says Akombe Earned Her Roles on Merit
Onyonka dismissed suggestions that he influenced Akombe’s professional achievements after she later secured work opportunities in Kenya.
“When she came to work in Nairobi, she got the job on her own merit. Did I play a role? I don’t think so because she knew everybody. She’s a very clever lady.”
Public Confirmation of Their Marriage
The revelation comes just weeks after the senator publicly confirmed during a memorial service for his late mother, Mama Teresia Nyaboke Omoke, that Akombe is his wife.
Addressing mourners, Onyonka surprised many guests by saying:
“What I know is that many of you don’t know that Roselyn Akombe is my wife.”
He also disclosed that Akombe played a major role in caring for his mother, including facilitating medical trips to the United States for specialised treatment.
Proud Polygamist and Father of 12
Onyonka further described himself as a proud polygamist and revealed he has more than three wives and 12 children.
According to the senator, Akombe divides her time between New York and Kenya and stays in Kitale whenever she is in the country.
He said they have been together for approximately 15 years.
Who Is Roselyn Akombe?
Born in Nyamira County on November 21, 1976, Roselyn Akombe studied education at the University of Nairobi before building a career as a political economist and United Nations expert.
Akombe gained national prominence in 2017 while serving as an IEBC commissioner during Kenya’s disputed presidential election period.
She resigned from the commission on October 17, 2017, while in New York, citing concerns over the credibility and safety surrounding the repeat presidential election ordered by the Supreme Court.
The revelation of her long-private marriage to Onyonka has since become one of the most talked-about political and entertainment stories online.
