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Irungu Kang'ata

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Irungu Kang'ata
Governor of Murang'a County
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 Aug 2022
Preceded byMwangi wa Iria
Senator of Murang'a County
In office
31 August 2017 – 25 Aug 2022
Preceded byKembi Gitura
Succeeded byJoe Nyutu
Majority Chief Whip
In office
2020–2021
Preceded bySusan Kihika
Member of Parliament for Kiharu
In office
28 March 2013 – 31 August 2017
Preceded byBarnabas Muturi Mwangi
Succeeded byNdindi Nyoro
Councillor Central Ward
In office
2002–2007
Personal details
Born (1980-01-01) 1 January 1980 (age 44)
Kiharu, Murang'a County
NationalityKenya
Political partyUDA
Parents
  • Joseph Irungu (father)
  • Margaret Irungu (mother)
ResidenceMurang'a County
Alma mater
ProfessionLawyer
Awards
  • People's Shujaaz Award
  • CDF Management Award
Websitehttp://www.irungukangata.co.ke

Irungu Kang'ata is a Kenyan politician. He is the governor of Muranga County. He also is the former senator of Murang'a County, and the former Senate of Kenya Majority Chief Whip, former member of parliament for Kiharu Constituency and a former Councillor for Central Ward in Murang'a town. He is a law graduate from the University of Nairobi and a principal in the firm Irungu Kangata & Co. Advocates located at Flamingo Towers 4th floor, Upperhill, Nairobi. He holds PhD (Law) University of Nairobi and teaches law at Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi.

Early life and education

Kang'ata was born in 1980 in Murang'a town[Muranga County]. He attended Murang'a Township Primary School (now Vidhu Ramji Primary School) between 1986 and 1993. He was admitted to Thika High School in 1994, where in 1997 he qualified for admission to the University of Nairobi for a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree. He was among the top students. In 1999 at the age of 19, he was elected Vice Chair of Kenya Law Student Society and later in the same year elected the Vice Chairman of entire University students body called SONU. Together with other students, he was suspended in 2000 for two years (but which term turned indefinite after he sued the university) for leading a strike. He rejoined campus in 2003 after the new NARC regime granted amnesty to former suspended students, and graduated in 2005. In 2006, he joined the Kenya School of Law for his diploma in law. He earned a Master of Laws (LL.M) and PhD degrees from University of Nairobi.[1]

Career

Kang'ata runs a law firm called Irungu Kangata & Company Advocates that specializes in corporate law. The firm is located next to the British Embassy at Flamingo Towers, 4th Floor, Upperhill, Nairobi.[2]

In 2002, at the age of 22,Kang'ata made history when he was elected as a Councillor for Central Ward in Murang'a Municipal Council. He chaired Murang'a Municipal Council Town planning Committee, and he helped recover grabbed public land from powerful persons, including Mumbi stadium. He represented the council in Muranga District Education Board. In 2007, he was admitted to the bar. After being employed by various advocates, he was employed as a state counsel in the Attorney General's chambers in 2009. He left soon thereafter to establish his law firm.

In 2012, Kang'ata became famous nationally after he defended Rebecca Kerubo, a security guard who was allegedly assaulted by the deputy Chief Justice Nancy Baraza. Following an inquiry, the deputy Chief Justice resigned nine months after the accusations.[3]

In 2013, Kang'ata contested for the Kiharu parliamentary seat on a TNA ticket, which he won after receiving 63,148 votes and defeating nine rivals.[4] The TNA party was later merged with the URP to form the Jubilee Party of Kenya, which is led by Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto, as party leader and deputy party leader respectively.[5]

In 2015, Kang'ata fired three members of the local CDF committee over what he termed as misappropriation of funds meant for bursaries.[6] In February 2016, he called for the overhaul of the Judiciary following claims of bribery and incompetence among judges and magistrates.[7]

In August 2016, Kang'ata filed a petition in the National Assembly accusing KRA enforcement officers of corruption which led to the availability of fake alcoholic drinks in the market. The petition also accused the officers of failing to decentralize enforcement measures to stockists.[8]

Awards

People's Shujaaz Awards

In 2015, Kang'ata was nominated for the Mzalendo Trust People's Shujaaz Award, given to lawmakers who championed issues of public interest in both the National Assembly and the Senate. Kang'ata was nominated[9] for sponsoring the Higher Education Loans Board (Amendment) Bill,[10] which was however rejected by the President. The bill would have barred HELB from penalizing debtors who were yet to get jobs and had filed affidavits proving that they were unemployed.[11]

CDF Management Award

In the same year, Kang'ata was also awarded by Central Kenya Forum for Peace for best management of Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and investing in domestic water projects. The report by the Forum revealed that Kang'ata had invested more than Ksh.42 million.

As Senator, acting on the recommendation of Senate, the President Uhuru Kenyatta awarded him the highest state honour of Chief of Burning Spear. Reasons cited included his public philanthropic causes of medical camps in his home county;his legislative record including introducing Ward Development Fund Bill and his long untainted political career.

(around US$41,000) in the domestic projects.[12]

Personal life

Kang'ata is a strong Christian who champions key Christian causes.

Kang'ata is probably one of the modest politicians in Kenya. He has sometimes claimed that he lives simply, having made investments while working as a lawyer for the future support of his family.[13] He has also been described as Kenya's 'poorest' MP.[14][15][16] He attends many political and charitable events, and makes small financial contributions to a number of organizations.[17]

On 9 February 2021, he was de-whipped from his position as the Senate Majority Leader with suspicion that it is as a result of a letter that he wrote to his Jubilee Party leader and President of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta that no one from the president’s Mount Kenya backyard was interested in the Building Bridges Initiative. The letter that leaked to the media attracted mixed reactions in the political arena. However, the party’s Secretary-General, Raphael Tuju has denied Kang’ata’s demotion to have been as a result of the protest letter that he had sent to the president. The Building Bridges Initiative is an initiative meant to unify the nation and is a result of a political truce between long-time opposition leader, Raila Odinga and current President Uhuru Kenyatta following their much-celebrated Handshake in 9 March 2018. The handshake came at a time when the political tensions in the country were at its peak after the 2017 General Elections disputed by the opposition culminating into a mock swearing-in of Raila Odinga in 30 January 2018 as the ‘People’s President.’[18] Kang’ata is now considered to be a victim of the prophecy of fellow Senator and lawyer James Orengo, that the government eats its own children.[19]

Political career

Kang'ata declared his interest for a senatorial position in 2017 general elections. He aimed to unseat the then incumbent Senator Kembi Gitura. This move, however, was considered a contradiction to his stand. For instance, in 2014, surprisingly, Kang'ata was quoted as demanding for scrapping of the senate, claiming that it duplicated National Assembly tasks.[20] He argued that doing away with the Upper House would save the country a lot of money that would then be channeled to development projects. Announcing his bid, Kanga'ata retracted his earlier statement, saying that devolution cannot be realized without the Senate.[21]

In the Jubilee primaries, Kang'ata beat incumbent Kembi Gitura by garnering 158,167 votes. Kembi received 146,207.[22] Kang'ata's win resulted in a bitter exchange of harsh words with his close rival, with each accusing the other of rigging. Gitura claimed that Kang’ata rigged in the primaries and was illegally declared the winner.[23]

Kang'ata was elected the Senator for Murang'a County in the 2017 General Election. Kang'ata garnered 279,285 which translate to 55.11% of the vote cast.[24]

After being sworn, Kang'ata, along with Nairobi's Johnson Sakaja, Kimani Wamatangi (Kiambu) and Nakuru's Susan Kihika applied for Gitura's old Senate Deputy Speaker seat.[25] He is currently serving as Senate's Deputy Chief Whip after he was appointed by the majority party to that post. He is also serving as a temporary speaker in the Senate. In May 2020, Kang'ata replaced Susan Kihika as the Senate Majority Chief Whip of The Jubilee Party. On 9 February 2021, he was removed from that post and replaced by Senator Kimani Wamatangi.[26]

On August 9 2022, he contested for Murang'a county gubernatorial seat on a UDA ticket and won becoming the second Governor of this county. He succeeded Mwangi wa Iria.

References

  1. ^ "Irungu Kangata - Biography, MP Kiharu, Muranga, Wife, Family, Age". Kenyan Life - Real Life Experience In Kenya. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  2. ^ www.irungukangata.co.ke
  3. ^ "Kenya judge Nancy Baraza resigns following gun inquiry". BBC News. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Summary of Results for Member of National Assembly. 4th March 2013 General Election". Scribd. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  5. ^ Ngetich, Jacob. "Jubilee party to transform into Uhuru's re-election vehicle for 2017 polls". The Standard. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  6. ^ "Three Kiharu CDF committee members sacked over theft allegations | Kenya News Agency". kenyanewsagency.go.ke. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  7. ^ Gikandi, Boniface. "Overhaul Judiciary to fight corruption, says Kang'ata". Standard Digital News. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  8. ^ "MPs to summon KRA boss over fake alcoholic drinks". Daily Nation. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  9. ^ "Young lawmakers top awards list". Daily Nation. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  10. ^ "Parliament of Kenya - Bills". Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  11. ^ "Young lawmakers top awards list". Daily Nation. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  12. ^ "Irungu Kangata - Biography, MP Kiharu, Muranga, Wife, Family, Age". Kenyan Life - Real Life Experience In Kenya. 27 April 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  13. ^ Ndung'u, Guchu. "Meet Kenya's 'poorest' Member of Parliament". Nairobi News. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  14. ^ "This is Kenya's 'Poorest' MP - Kenyans.co.ke". Kenyans.co.ke. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  15. ^ GISESA, NYAMBEGA. "Kang'ata: Why should I drive in limousines as my people suffer?". The Standard. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  16. ^ "Meet Kenya's 'poorest' Member of Parliament - Nairobi News". Nairobi News. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  17. ^ GISESA, NYAMBEGA. "Kang'ata: Why should I drive in limousines as my people suffer?". Standard Digital News. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  18. ^ Otieno, Steve; Ogetta, Daniel (9 March 2021). "Kenya: 'Handshake' and Its Numerous Messy Political Divorces". allAfrica.com. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  19. ^ Mercy (9 September 2019). "There Are times When Government Eats its Own Children, Orengo's Remarks Echo Loud Barely Two Years Later". KDRTV. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  20. ^ KBC Channel 1 (12 June 2013), MP vows to push through bill to abolish Senate, retrieved 11 February 2017{{citation}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Gitau, Grace. "Kiharu MP Irungu Kang'ata defies Kembi backers, prepares manifesto for Senate bid". Daily Nation.
  22. ^ "Wa Iria, Kang'ata, Sabina to fly Jubilee flag in Murang'a county". The Star, Kenya. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  23. ^ Karanja, Samuel. "After losing in party primaries, this is where politicians are flocking". Tuko.co.ke - Kenya news. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  24. ^ "ENR". public.rts.iebc.or.ke. Archived from the original on 10 August 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2017.
  25. ^ http://allafrica.com/stories/201708310095.htmla [dead link‍]
  26. ^ Kinyanjui, Jeff (11 May 2020). "Senator Irungu Kang'ata celebrates his new appointment with reggae song". Nairobi News. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
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