Know your MPS:Meru County

An aerial View of Kenyan Parliament

By Francis Mwongela and Our Reporter in Meru

Meru county is found in Eastern Province of Kenya and is home of the Imenti, Tigania and Igembe sub-tribes of the Meru tribe who are Bantu`s.

The county has seven constituencies, which are Imenti South, Imenti Central, Imenti North, Igembe South, Igembe North, Tigania East and Tigania West with a proposal to have another constituency called Buuri.

1.Imenti South

This constituency is represented in Parliament by Energy Minister Mr. Kiraitu Murungi who was born on 1 January 1952 in Kionyo village, Abogeta division of Meru District in Central Kenya. He attended Chuka High School before proceeding to Alliance High School. Murungi graduated with a Bachelor of Laws in Nairobi University in 1977 and attained a Master of Law in the same university in 1982. He attained another Master in 1991 of Law at Harvard Law School where he served two years in exile in the United States at the heyday of Daniel arap Moi's one-party dictatorship.

He has considerably done well development wise in his constituency.

2.Imenti Central

Gitobu Imanyara is the current Member of Parliament for Imenti Central Constituency. The constituency is located in the New Imenti Central District, which is on the Eastern slopes of Mt Kenya in Eastern Province. 

He is also a Member of the Pan African Parliament and the Party Leader of Chama Cha UZalendo.

He is a former detainee under the leadership of then Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi and is actively campaigning for Prime Minister Mr. Raila Odinga to take over from President Kibaki when his term in office expires and General election held in 2013. 

3.Imenti North

Silas Muriuki Ruteere is the MP for Imenti North and a close chat with people in his constituency say that he has done a bit fair in Parliament speaking slightly more than 50 times in the National Assembly. They are pleading to help in the completion of Isiolo - Ruiri road project before the end of this year.

4.Igembe South

Franklin Mithika Linturi is the MP for Igembe South and he is regarded by his constituents as having performed fairly during his term. He was born in 1969.

5.Igembe North

This constituency is represented in the Kenyan National Assembly by Mr. Ntoitha M"Mithiaru whom his constituent prefer him as an average one and non-controversial one. He was born in 1950 and elected in 2007 elections on a Party of National Unity party.

6.Tigania West

Kilemi Mwiria Valerian  has been Kenya’s Assistant Minister for Education (2003 – 2008) and Higher Education Science & Technology (2008-2009) and Member of Parliament for Tigania West since 2003. He is a member of the parliamentary constitution implementation committee.

Previously, Dr Mwiria was an education consultant and academic in Kenya (Kenyatta University) and South Africa (University of the Witwatersrand). He lost his Kenyatta University job in 1994 for spearheading university staff rights having been the first Secretary General of the Universities’ Academic Staff Union (UASU).

He holds a doctorate degree in international education from Stanford University, a master’s degree in comparative education from the University of Chicago and a Bachelor of Arts degree from The University of Nairobi. He has published widely in the area of education and has done many reports for donor organizations and governments. His most recent research has focused on higher education and education policy making in Africa.

Meru MPS

Gitobu Imanyara

Kiraitu Murungi

Peter Munya

Kilemi Mwiria

Mithika Linturi

Silas Muriuki

7.Tigania East
Peter Gatirau Munya is the Assistant Minister, Ministry of East African Community. He is the 2nd Member of Parliament for Tigania East Constituency, Meru County in Central Kenya, and one of the leading contenders for the Meru County Governor’s Seat. The son of Mr. Jackson Munya M’Rukunga and Mrs. Grace Mwakithi; born and raised in Muthaara, Meru County.

He sat for and passed his ‘O’ Levels at Chogoria Boys High School, and proceeded to Meru School for his ‘A’ levels. At Meru School, Hon. Peter Munya was the Chairman of the Debating Club and a winner of the Provincial Public Speaking Competition.

In 1993 he graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree (LLB Hons), from the University of Nairobi. At the University of Nairobi, Peter Munya was twice elected, in 1992 and 1993, chair of the Kenya Law Students Society (KLLS). Upon graduation, he took up internship at Kamau Kuria and Kiraitu Advocates in Nairobi.

In January 1995 he went on to the University of Brussels, Belgium, on a Belgium Embassy scholarship. He undertook and attained a Masters Degree in International Law (International Economic Integration Law). He proceeded to University of Georgia, USA, where he attained a second Masters Degree in Law (Public International Law).

In 1997 he was published in the Boston University International Law Journal, under the title “The Role of the Organization of African Unity in Conflict Resolution and Dispute Settlement in Africa”
Upon his return to Kenya, he took a job as a Law lecturer at the Kenya School of Professional Studies (KSPS) and Kenya School of Monetary Studies (KSMS).

In 2000 he was appointed a lecturer of Law at Moi University, Eldoret where he taught Law. At Moi University Hon. Peter Munya was published in the Moi University Journal in 2002 under the title, “The Role of the International Court of Justice in Resolving African Disputes: Past, Present and Future Prospects”. In 2002 he left Moi University to set up Kimaiyo and Munya Advocates.

In 2002 Peter Munya campaigned for and won the Tigania East parliamentary seat in the then Meru North District. He was subsequently sworn in to the 9th Kenyan Parliament on 9th January, 2003.
In the 9th Parliament, Hon. Peter Munya founded and Chaired Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association with the aim of championing in Parliament, issues affecting Kenya youth. He was also member of the Health Club Management committee and the Parliamentary Investment Committee

(PIC) before his appointment to the government in 2006 as the Assistant Minister, Ministry of Internal Security and Provincial Administration

In December 2007 Hon. Peter Munya was elected for a second consecutive term as the Member of Parliament.

Tomorrow is our day with  Migori County