Irungu Kang'ata


Irungu Kang'ata is a Kenyan politician, the senator for Murang'a County, and the incumbent Senate Majority Chief Whip. 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. Kang'ata is the immediate former member of parliament for Kiharu Constituency and a former Councillor for Central Ward in Murang'a town. He is a PhD (Law) researcher at the University of Nairobi and teaches law at Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Nairobi.

Irungu Kang'ata
Senate Majority Whip
In office
2020–2022
Preceded bySusan Kihika
Senator Murang'a County
In office
2017–2022
Preceded byKembi Gitura
Member of Parliament for Kiharu
In office
2013–2017
Preceded byBarnabas Muturi Mwangi
Succeeded byNdindi Nyoro
Councillor Central Ward
In office
2007–2013
Personal details
Born (1980-01-01) 1 January 1980
Kiharu, Murang'a County
NationalityKenya
Political partyJubilee Party
MotherMargaret Irungu
FatherJoseph Irungu
ResidenceMurang'a County
Alma mater
ProfessionLawyer
Awards
  • People's Shujaaz Award
  • CDF Management Award
Websitehttp://www.irungukangata.co.ke/

Early life and education

Kang'ata was born in 1980 in Murang'a County and 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. In 1999 he was elected Vice Chair of Kenya Law Student Society and later in the same year elected the Vice Chairman of SONU. 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) degree 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, in Upperhill, Nairobi.[2]

In 2002, Kang'ata was elected as a Councillor for Central Ward in Murang'a town. 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 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 (around US$41,000) in the domestic projects.[12]

Personal life

Kang'ata is strongly opposed to the rights of the LGBT community. In 2015, he led peaceful demonstrations in Nairobi against LGBT people,[13] intended to deter US President Barack Obama from mentioning gay rights during his visit to Kenya.[14]


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.[15] He has also been described as Kenya's 'poorest' MP.[16][17][18] He attends many political and charitable events, and makes small financial contributions to a number of organizations.[19]

2017 general elections

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 Pary.[26]

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. Cooper, Jonathan (8 October 2015). "Kenya's anti-gay laws are leaving LGBT community at the mercy of the mob". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  14. Onishi, Norimitsu (21 July 2015). "Obama Kenya Trip Sets Off Gay Rights Debate in Africa". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  15. Ndung'u, Guchu. "Meet Kenya's 'poorest' Member of Parliament". Nairobi News. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  16. "This is Kenya's 'Poorest' MP - Kenyans.co.ke". Kenyans.co.ke. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  17. GISESA, NYAMBEGA. "Kang'ata: Why should I drive in limousines as my people suffer?". The Standard. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  18. "Meet Kenya's 'poorest' Member of Parliament - Nairobi News". Nairobi News. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
  19. GISESA, NYAMBEGA. "Kang'ata: Why should I drive in limousines as my people suffer?". Standard Digital News. Retrieved 29 December 2016.
  20. KBC Channel 1 (12 June 2013), MP vows to push through bill to abolish Senate, retrieved 11 February 2017
  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
  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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