Daily News Kenya: Know your county MPS:Murang`

Monday 9 July 2012

Know your county MPS:Murang`

Know your county MPS:Murang`a

By Jim Mwangi

Murang`a county is found in Central Province and it has seven constituencies namely: Kigumo, Kiharu, Kangema, Maragua, Kandara, Gatanga and Mathioya

Murang`a county is endowed with good climate for farming and its people are hardworking and business entrepreneurial with majority of hawkers in Nairobi coming from Central Kenya particularly,Murang`a county.

1.Kigumo

Jamleck Irungu KHon.Jamleck Kamau is the MP for Kigumo Constituency. He was born in 1965 and is married. He joined elective politics in the year 2002 when he vied for the area MP on a KANU Party ticket and emerged second in the polls. He was successfully elected to Parliament in the year 2007 on a Party of National Unity ticket (PNU).

The MP is a beneficiary of a recent mini-reshuffle effected by the two coalition Principals in the Kenyan Government President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Mr.Raila Odinga where he was named the Minister in-charge of Nairobi Metropolitan

When he was elected as the MP for Kigumo Constituency, Kamau was nominated to serve as a Commissioner with the Parliamentary Service Commission.

During the elections of the Party of National Unity (PNU) held on December 19,2008, he was elected as the Vice chairman (Strategy & Research)

In June 2009, in further recognition of his leadership abilities, Kamau was elected to chair a crucial House (Parliament) committee on Implementation.

He holds a Bachelors of Arts degree (economics) from the University of Nairobi and has a wealth of experience having worked abroad (USA) and locally. He worked as a director for various companies before seeking elective politics.

Kamau has a passion for serving people and spends a lot of time in the Constituency where he has set aside Mondays as days for meeting his Constituents in his Kigumo office. The rest of the days are spent in engaging in various Constituency projects while also sparing some time to attend to parliamentary business. Kamau is driven by a strong belief that " service to mankind is service to God"

2.Kiharu

Barnabas Muturi Mwangi who was born on October 02.1944 is the MP for Kiharu which was once represented in Parliament by tycoon businessman Kenneth Matiba who alongside President Kibaki, Prime Minister Mr. Raila Odinga and others were involved in the fight for restoration of multiparty in Kenya.

Mwangi is a Christian and holds a BA in education from Nairobi University and has interests in Environmental conservation and education and his message to Kenyans is ``Education is key to development``.

3.Kangema

For now the constituency has no Member of Parliament following the death of the area MP and Minister for Environment Mr. John Njoroge Michuki who was a close ally of President Kibaki.

4.Maragua

Maragua constituency is represented in Parliament by Mr. Mbau Elias Peter who is the Chairman of the Parliamentary budget committee. He holds a BA in Economics and MBA (Marketing) from Nairobi University. Prior to becoming an MP Mbau worked as an Economist for the Government.

He has an interest in development, finance and general planning issues. His hobbies as he says is domestic travel, reading for general knowledge and advices Kenyans to rise up and curb the culture of impunity, exorcise the vice of tribalism and appropriate public resources prudently and fairly for the nation to realize its latent capacity to grow.

His constituents regard him as an average performer.

5.Kandara

Described by his constituent as an average MP James Maina Kamau is also an active in Kenyan Parliament and much is not known about him and our correspondent we assigned to interview him in his constituency Jim Mwangi was not able to get him.

6.Gatanga

Presidential aspirant in 2013 Kenya General election Mr.Peter Kenneth represents Gatanga constituency in Parliament and his constituency is an example for many MPS to emulate as it is well developed with roads all tarmacked and Kenneth dared a reporter from a local daily (name withheld) to point him where he will find a pothole on the road and he will give him whatever he wants.

A former student of Starehe boys Kenneth serves in the Kenyan Government as an Assistant Minister for Planning, which was, rated as the best Ministry during this year’s evaluation of the best parastatals and Ministries.

7.Mathioya

Captain Clement Muchiri Wambugu the MP for Mathioya is an active contributor in Kenyan Parliament and a track record of good development in his constituency he was first elected in Parliament in 2007 after beating a seasoned politician and fiery KANU Secretary General Mr.J.J.Kamotho.

Wambugu previously worked for the African Express Airways and served in a team, appointed by then Minister for Transport, Mr.Chirau Ali Mwakwere to investigate the Kenya Police Helicopter accident, which happened in Kapsabet on May 11,2009.