By Peter Ochieng
Before promulgation of the 2010 constitution, Members of the County Assemblies (MCAs) were, so to speak, known as councillors. Councillors were elected to represent Wards just like the modern day MCAs.
Whereas MCAs oversight the county governments, councillors oversighted City, Town and County Councils. Two former councillors are currently serving as governors, one is a Cabinet Secretary (CS) while one is a Member of Parliament (MP).
Similarly, one former MCA is a sitting governor, while former MCAs are holding higher offices, ranging from Senators to Women Representatives.
Let us start rolling with former councillors serving as governors:
1. Paul Simba Arati
The first term Kisii governor is a former councillor. He joined the Nairobi City Hall in 2007 as a nominated councilor. He was nominated by the Raila Odinga led ODM party. Arati was then elected Dagoretti North MP in 2013 and got re-elected in 2017, before succeeding James Ongwae as the second Kisii governor in 2022.
“I know the suffering the common people go through because I was a councillor when I was only 25 and I had nothing. I did not have a godfather. Because I got an opportunity to lead, I have made sure that I support the people who are genuinely in need in my constituency,” he said in a previous interview.
2. Irungu Kang’ata
From councillor to MP, to Senator and to Murang’a governor. That has been the political journey of Kang’ata, within a period of 20 years.
Kang’ata joined the Senate in 2017 after serving as Kiharu MP from 2013. Prior, he was the councillor for Central Ward in Murang’a between 2002 and 2007.
“As a councillor one is able to know the problems of the people in the grassroots,” he once remarked. Kang’ata succeeded Mwangi Wa Iria as Murang’a governor, in 2022.
3. Aisha Jumwa
The Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage has had a long political journey. She honed her political skills in the county councils, having served as a councillor for Takangu Ward in Kilifi, between 1997 and 2007.
In 2004, she was elected the chairperson of the Kilifi County Council, before being elected Kilifi county Woman Representative on an ODM ticket in 2013. In 2017, she shifted base to Malindi constituency in 2017 where she won on the same party ticket.
In 2022, she lost the race to become Kilifi governor on the UDA party ticket. President William Ruto appointed her the CS for Public Service, before transferring her to the current docket months later.
4. Tim Wanyonyi
He was nominated to City Hall by ODM in 2007 alongside Arati. In 2013, he was elected MP for Westlands and re-elected in 2017. Wanyonyi declared his bid to contest for the Nairobi gubernatorial seat ahead of the August, 2022 polls.
However, ‘handshake politics’ prevailed as Azimio backed Polycarp Igathe who lost to Kenya Kwanza’s Johnson Sakaja. Tim ran for the Westlands MP seat and won a third straight term.
5. Abdi Guyo
History was made in 2022 as then Nairobi’s Matopeni Ward sitting MCA, Abdi Hassan alias Guyo became the first Ward Representative to clinch a governor seat.
Guyo, contesting on the Jubilee Party ticket was declared winner of the Isiolo gubernatorial race after he garnered 28,946 votes, beating former governor Godana Doyo who ran as an Independent. Doyo garnered 26,270 votes.
Other former MCAs occupying higher offices are listed below. They were all elected in 2022.
6. Julius Mwenda Gatay
Former MCA for Mukuthima Ward in Tharaka Nithi county, is now the Tharaka Nithi Senator.
7. James Kamau Murango
The Kirinyaga Senator previously served as leader of majority in the Kirinyaga county Assembly.
8. Susan Ngugi Mwindo
She is the Tharaka Nithi Woman Representative, having served as an MCA in Tharaka Nithi.
9. Fatuma Masito
The former member of the Kwale County Assembly was on August 9, 2022 elected Kwale county Women Representative.
10. Martin Pepela
The Webuye East MP served as an MCA in the Bungoma County Assembly, from 2013 to 2022.
11. Eric Mutai
The former charcoal seller and MCA in Nakuru, is the current Kuresoi North MP.
12. Onesmus Ngogoyo Ngure
He was elected Kajiado North MP after serving as an MCA.
13. Cynthia Jepkosei Muge
The new Nandi county Women Representative served as a member of the Nandi Assembly.
14. Caleb Mutiso Mule
The Machakos Town MP served as an MCA in Machakos.
15. Umulkheri Kassim
The Mandera county Women Representative is a former nominated MCA.
16. Leah Sopiato
The former nominated MCA is the current Kajiado county Women Representative.
17. Eric Mwangi Wambui
He is the MP for Mathira, succeeding Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua. He is a former MCA.