Kawira Mwangaza made history by becoming the first female governor of Meru county, who was elected on an Independent ticket.
The former Women Rep trounced political bigwigs like the outgoing governor Kiraitu Murungi and outgoing senator Mithika Linturi to clinch the county’s top seat.
Her journey to success was however not a smooth one as she narrated in her first interview after being elected as governor.
Mwangaza was born in 1973 in Onturiri village, Meru county. She underwent her primary school education at Onturiri primary school after but did not immediately proceed with secondary school education due to financial constraints.
At that point she went to a relative’s home in Marsabit, where she served as a house help.
“I served as a house girl for almost a year, afterwards I was able to join Moyale girls, a public school that had just been launched, and my class was the pioneer,” Mwangaza said in an interview with Citizen TV.
After finishing her high school studies, she ventured into business before getting admission to Kampala University where she pursued a course in Education.
“I did Bachelor of Education with Guidance and Counseling but I did not venture into teaching, I just continued hustling,” Mwangaza said.
She would later join politics and vie for the Buuri constituency seat in 2013 but lost terribly after spending over Kshs20 million in campaigns.
“We remained with nothing, we were forced to go back to selling tomatoes and onions in Ruai and Kawangware,” she said.
After the loss, Mwangaza and her husband, Murega Baichu, a musician, ventured into the media industry, launching Baite TV. Mwangaza would work as a reporter while her husband was behind the camera. The station helped her understand people better and its popularity grew. With pressure from the people, she decided to try her luck again in politics in 2017.
As luck would have it, she floored Florence Kajuju of Jubilee, in the Women Rep race where she vied on an independent ticket. During campaigns, Mwangaza and her husband did not spend their money like before but got donations from well-wishers.
Following the win, she began her journey to governorship by serving the people effectively and whole-heartedly as a Woman Rep.
To win governorship, Mwangaza and her husband would entertain crowds before she sold her agendas unlike her opponents who painted Meru with posters and billboards.
Aside from being a politician, Mwangaza is also a Bishop at Baite Family Fellowship Church
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