I massage her legs after long day's work, Mwangaza's husband reveals

Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza and her husband Baichu Murega. [Standard]

Tongues were left wagging when Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza went lyrical on social media to confess her undying love for her husband, Murega Baichu, with many enthralled by her willingness to publicly affirm her undying love for him, a rare virtue among politicians.

While describing her man as a professional husband, Mwangaza never shied away from showering him with praise in a post that excited Murega, who opened up to The Nairobian, sharing tidbits about their intimacy, political, and business life.

“Happy birthday my M’verified. Commander of Ameru Airwaves. Professional Husband. My Chief Executive Advisor. Most Handsome and Favoured Man in Africa. Love of myself. My roommate,” posted the governor on the birthday of her husband.

However, it was not the first time the governor was affirming her love for Murega.

“Happy birthday my love, Medicine, Handsome, wisdom, king, Highest quality, Romeo Integrity, Power, Ambassador, apostle, sweetheart, property, Commander of Ameru Airwaves, Best, Guitar Man, Murega Baichu Himself. Love you,” she posted on a similar occasion last year.

“You are the reason why my life is full of laughter and joy. You are the man who has made my life the joyful scenario that it is. I look forward to spending more years of love with you,” she added.

But still, it was certainly a soothing post that warmed up Murega’s heart, who in turn counts himself lucky for having Mwangaza as his wife.

“She does cook for me. She does it best,” says Murega, a renowned musician-cum-farmer, who shot to fame after Mwangaza became governor. The man now enjoys the title of Meru First Gentleman by being the governor’s husband.

He told The Nairobian that Mwangaza is a workaholic, and as the husband, he has to give her full support as she works to deliver on her election pledges to the Meru people.

After a long day’s work, Murega revealed that she gets home tired, and he has to help her relax.

“She is a workaholic, fast-paced, efficient, and a perfectionist. She likes us being together and chatting past midnight every day while massaging her toes and her legs with the liquid paraffin oil. She does not get enough of it. I, too, like and love doing it,” says Murega. And no amount of pressure will stop Murega from supporting his wife politically and morally – above all, he vows to love her every day and every time.

“Remember we pray together, and we love doing God’s work. Service to humanity is service to God,” he said.

Despite appreciation of their love odyssey, last September, the governor courted trouble after naming a road after her husband.

“Murega Baichu Road. Hakuna boiling tena. #500kph #kabatikabati,” wrote Mwangaza when she shared a picture of the rehabilitated Murram Road on her Facebook page.

The post received mixed reactions; some congratulated her while others questioned the move.

It caught the eye of Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, who waded into the debate by suggesting that Kenya needs a Bill to guide the process of naming public facilities.

“Kawira Mwangaza has simply followed in the ugly path taken by our nation’s founding fathers. I think we need a public nomenclature bill to guide the process of naming Key public installations. Just not sure whether to start in 1963 or 2023,” said Cheruiyot.

Murega, regarded as a cultural ambassador because of his mix of cultural, rhumba, and mugithi music, says the governor usually prepares for him his favorite dishes of ugali and fish or mukimo.

Despite the power she wields, Mwangaza’s husband comes first, and the governor never hesitates to remind those who care to listen to her.

Initially, Murega had been a permanent figure at Mwangaza’s official county meetings before eyebrows were raised, forcing the First Gentleman to avoid such meetings.

He, however, swore not to leave her side despite MCAs protesting his omnipresence in the governor’s events.

“It is not possible. Because I have always been there, even throughout when she was a Woman Rep and doing the Okolea programs. I have always been there, and even now as governor, I am going to be there. I am not going anywhere,” he defended himself.

Murega told off those uncomfortable with his presence to accept the reality.

“Those who are uncomfortable are not the citizens. It is the competitors we beat hands down. They will get used to it,” said Murega, also a minister at Baite Family Fellowship (BFF).

He has, however, kept a low profile in recent months, preferring to spend most of his time on the couple’s big farm in Buuri sub-county.

In addition to the traditional crops, he rears livestock and has plans to go into apple orchards.

“Before politics, we used to distribute cement in the whole eastern region and managed a fleet of more than 100 lorries. That was a busy time,” he says, adding that they also run a school and the BFF ministry. A gifted musician, Murega is adept at playing the guitar, skills he unleashed when wooing Mwangaza some years back. His music played a pivotal role in popularizing Mwangaza.

He always entertained crowds during the campaign rallies in 2017 and 2022.

“My husband always had his guitar, and people loved his music. His music contributed immensely to my win,” the governor once said. Due to her husband’s role in her victory, it came as no surprise when she named him as Hustlers ambassador and Meru Youth Service patron.

A title that drew anger from MCAs who in vain pushed for the governor’s removal from office.

Dennis ‘DMK’ Kiogora, the mover of the first impeachment motion of November 2022, pointed to Murega’s appointment as one of the grounds why he wanted her out of office.

“On or about September 30, 2022, the Governor engaged in gross misconduct, grossly violated Articles 10, 232, 235, and 236 of the Constitution, grossly violated Section 17 of the Public Officer Ethics Act,” said Kiogora, insisting the position was non-existent.

Mwangaza stood her ground, maintaining that the position was just ceremonial and voluntary. “He will work to uplift the hustlers and less privileged. He will not be earning a salary or allowance. He will be working for free. He will be reporting to the governor,” she said.

But MCAs would hear none of the governor’s explanation and went ahead to impeach her - a decision that was subsequently overturned by the Senate, which found she had not breached any laws.

Like any couple, Mwangaza and Murega have been through thick and thin. The governor once recounted how they went broke after her unsuccessful maiden plunge into the murky world of politics in 2013 when she contested for the Buuri seat but lost to youthful Gatobu Kinoti.

She had spent a huge sum of money on the campaigns, and after losing, Mwangaza retreated to her business where she struggled to pick up.

“We had spent Sh20 million, leaving me broke and in debt. My husband and I moved to Ruai in Nairobi, where we sold onions and tomatoes as we worked to recover,” she recalled.

Coming from a humble background, Mwangaza attended Moyale Girls Secondary School in Marsabit and later advanced her education by pursuing a degree course in Guidance and Counseling at Kampala International University.