Kiunjuri, an old head on young shoulders

By Job Weru

The political career of one of the youngest parliamentarians in Kenya has been marked by controversy and youthful vigour.

On many occasions, Laikipia East MP Mwangi Kiunjuri has conducted himself as a political rookie would, plunging with gusto into every issue that touches his sphere.

At one time, he appeared to bite the hand that feeds him when he momentarily rejected a presidential transfer from the Ministry of Energy, as an assistant minister, only to appear for the swearing-in and take the office oath.

He has also been known to behave like an old head on young shoulders, like in his recent move when he started a political party, named Grand National Party (GNU), for which he is secretary-general.

Active role

But, as it emerges in a recent interview with the MP, his life was shaped in steep competition for survival and risk-taking, which saw a boy emerge from dire poverty of a rural village to the corridors of power.

His youthful, boyish looks hardly betray his age, even as he approaches his 40th birthday — this April.

At his home in Camp George in Nanyuki’s Muthaiga Estate, we find him with his wife, Wangui, and two children, relaxed and entertaining guests.

We wait patiently for his attention, as he concentrates on showing his little daughter, Wahu, and his son Kiunjuri, how to ride a bicycle.

He insists on leaving his family out of the two-hour long interview. He then settles down to relate the ups and downs of a career that almost never was.

He was born twelfth in a family of 14 in 1969 at Kiandongoro in Tetu Division.

His mother, Loise Wanjiku, was a peasant housewiwfe while his father, Gerald Kiunjuri, worked as a clinical dresser in a local dispensary, earning a meagre salary to support his large family.

Kiunjuri joined Dr Kiano Secondary School for his O-levels, before proceeding to Kangema High School in Murang’a for his A-Levels.

He then attended Moi University, where he attained a Bachelor of Education.

It was at the university where he first dabbled in politics, through his 1991 entry into the defunct Ford Party, which was led by veteran politician Kenneth Matiba and the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga.

"I played an active role in the clamour for multi-party politics, a role I coupled with studies. Later in 1997, I was elected the Laikipia East Democratic Party (DP) youth leader," he said.

Instead of joining the teaching profession, he pooled his savings and bought an old lorry, which he operated as a public service vehicle in Nanyuki town. He was both driver and tout as he struggled to make ends meet.

"I was not keen about the teaching career, I knew I wanted bigger things and this was limiting me," says the MP.

A calling

"The transport business taught me a lot, understanding people and their way of living. I was a local man, mixing with local folks, although I had a calling in national politics and I knew this was not the end for me," he says.

Back then, Kiunjuri was a regular figure at the Nanyuki Bus Park where he waited for commuters.

In fact, it was where he would later start his campaigns for the Laikipia East seat, by speaking for those who were affected by land clashes — common in his area.

He operated a Mitsubishi Canter lorry between 1995 and 1996, after which he joined the teaching profession in 1996 and 1997. A short stint in a school in Nyeri District ended when he resigned to seek a parliamentary seat.

During the 1997 General Election, Kiunjuri entered books of history when he was elected the youngest MP for Laikipia East Constituency, at 28 years of age.

After 11 years in Parliament, Kiunjuri is viewed as one of the youthful MPs who have made a great effort to assert themselves.

His recent move to form the GNU party, into which he has drawn in a few seated and former MPs, attests to this.

The Water and Irrigation assistant minister says: "I am not ready to allow myself to be driven by multitudes, or whatever powers that be."

For the last decade, he has twice scooped the accolade of being among the most active MPs.

But, Kiunjuri says: "I have learnt that nobody is sincere in politics. Politics is all a game of survival and clamour for power. Nobody is sincere, and that is why we encounter overwhelming double-speak from our politicians."

He takes issue with the current band of legislators, whom he refers to as "chameleons", due to their tendency to change tune "to fit the situations at hand".

Equal Opportunity

He adds: "A politician would say one thing today, and, after realising it is attracting unwanted criticism, change the statement to please the electorate."

"Many politicians are not concerned about the common man, who is not able to make ends meet. Everybody wants to enrich him or herself," he says.

An affirmation to his open-mindedness could probably be the 2005 refusal to take up the presidential appointment as assistant minister in charge of the petroleum docket.

But he was later sworn in and handed back the Energy docket as an assistant minister.

The baby-faced politician likes to spend time with his family whenever he is free.

"I am a father and I have to play with and show love to my children, I always try to create time for them," he says.

Of his new party he says: "GNU looks forward to bringing equal opportunity to all Kenyans without minding their background, ethnicity or the region they come from. We are all Kenyans, and the first role is to bridge the rich-poor gap."

"So far, we have seven sitting MPs, and serious youths ready to propel our country to glory."