Charity Ngilu

Charity Ngilu
2nd County Governor of Kitui
Assumed office
22 August 2017
Deputy Dr. Wathe Nzau
Preceded by Julius Malombe
Cabinet Secretary for Land, Housing and Urban Development
In office
15 May 2013 – 29 March 2015
President Uhuru Kenyatta
Minister of Water and Irrigation
In office
17 April 2008 – 2013
President Mwai Kibaki
Minister of Health
In office
3 January 2003 – 6 October 2007
President Mwai Kibaki
Member of Parliament
for Kitui Central
In office
29 December 1992 – 2013
Personal details
Born (1952-01-28) 28 January 1952
Machakos, Kenya Colony
Nationality Kenyan
Political party NARC
Children 3
Alma mater St. Paul's University (BA)
Website www.mamangilu.co.ke

Charity Kaluki Ngilu (born 1952) is a Kenyan politician and the second governor elected for Kitui County. She served as Minister for Health from 2003 until 2007 and Minister of Water and Irrigation from April 2008 to 2013. She also served as Cabinet Secretary for Land, Housing and Urban Development from 2013 until 2015.

Ngilu was born in Mbooni, Makueni District in 1952. She was educated at Alliance Girls High School,[1] then worked as a secretary for Central Bank of Kenya, before becoming an entrepreneur. She acted as a director of a plastics extrusion factory.

Along with Joyce Laboso and Anne Waiguru,[2] Ngilu is one of three women who became Kenya's first female governors in 2017.[2]

Political life

Ngilu was elected to represent the Kitui central constituency seat in 1992 on a Democratic Party ticket. She was reelected to the same seat and ran for president in the 1997 general election on a Social Democratic Party of Kenya ticket, finishing fifth behind the eventual winner, Daniel arap Moi. Along with Wangari Maathai, she became the first ever female presidential candidate in Kenya.

Later, she joined National Party of Kenya. In the December 2002 general election, her party was part of the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC). The coalition went on to win the elections, and President Mwai Kibaki appointed her as Minister of Health when he named his Cabinet on 3 January 2003. She was also appointed NARC chairperson.

Ngilu was seen as a new school member in the government, as opposed to old school members like John Michuki and President Kibaki. However, she was left stranded after the Liberal Democratic Party left the coalition after the defeat of the Government-sponsored draft constitution, while most of the remaining NARC members founded the new Narc-Kenya party led by Martha Karua.

On 5 October 2007, Ngilu announced her support for the Orange Democratic Movement and its presidential candidate, Raila Odinga, in the December 2007 general election;[3][4] she has compared Odinga to Nelson Mandela.[3] She initially said that she was remaining in the government, despite backing Kibaki's main rival.[4] However, her dismissal from the government by Kibaki was announced on 6 October.[3][5]

Ngilu was re-elected to her seat from Kitui Central in the December 2007 parliamentary election.[6] Kibaki won the presidential election according to official results, but this was disputed by the ODM, and a violent crisis developed. The crisis was eventually resolved with a power-sharing agreement,[7][8] and in the grand coalition Cabinet named on 13 April 2008[8] and sworn in on 17 April,[7] Ngilu was appointed as Minister of Water and Irrigation.[8]

Ngilu showed support for Raila Odinga in running for Presidential bid in Kenyan elections 2013.She later launched a presidential bid through her Narc Political Party, ultimately choosing to run for Kitui County senator and losing to David Musila in the process.[9]

Following her failed bid, Ngilu was named Cabinet Secretary for Land, Housing and Urban Development by president Uhuru Kenyatta, but she resigned from the post following corruption allegations.[10]

Ngilu ran for governor of Kitui County in the 2017 general election, beating incumbent Julius Malombe and becoming one of three elected women governors.[11]

LSK Blacklist

On 16 January 2012 the Law Society of Kenya(LSK) identified Ngilu as one of the public officials have been mentioned adversely in various reports on issues ranging from corruption to economic crimes. The LSK advised voters not to vote those mentioned in the report as they had previously compromised.[12]

Censure motion 2013

In November 2013, the 11th Kenyan parliament debated about her conduct as the cabinet secretary for Land, Housing and Urban Development.[13] The parliament was acting on recommendations by a special committee whose mandate was to investigate how she appointed a new director-general at her ministry without involving the parliament as provided for in the constitution of Kenya.[14]

Personal life

Her husband, Michael Mwendwa Ngilu, died on 1 July 2006 in South Africa. Charity Ngilu has three children.

References

  1. ↑ "Alliance Girls High School: Historical Perspectives". Alliancegirlshigh.com. 28 February 1948. Retrieved 2011-08-09.
  2. 1 2 https://www.tuko.co.ke/250485-meet-bomet-governor-joyce-labosos-rarely-husband-handsome-sons-photos.html
  3. 1 2 3 Alex Kiprotich and Ben Agina, "Kibaki finally fires Ngilu" Archived 12 October 2007 at the Wayback Machine., The Standard (Kenya), 7 October 2007.
  4. 1 2 Magreat Kalekye, "Ngilu states her political stand" Archived 22 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine., Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, 5 October 2007.
  5. ↑ "Kenya opposition kicks off campaign, says 3 supporters shot", Associated Press (International Herald Tribune), 6 October 2007.
  6. ↑ Votes per candidate in Kitui Central Archived 6 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine., Electoral Commission website.
  7. 1 2 "Odinga sworn in as Kenya PM" Archived 26 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine., Al Jazeera, 17 April 2008.
  8. 1 2 3 Anthony Kariuki, "Kibaki names Raila PM in new Cabinet", nationmedia.com, 13 April 2008.
  9. ↑ http://allafrica.com/stories/201209030289.html Kenya: Ngilu Promises to Provide Basic Needs
  10. ↑ SHIUNDU, Alex Ndegwa and ALPHONCE. "Five Cabinet Secretaries axed in reshuffle as two MPs nominated". The Standard. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  11. ↑ "Kenya's first women governors: Ngilu, Laboso, Waiguru flying high after vote". The Star, Kenya. Retrieved 2017-08-21.
  12. ↑ "LSK Blacklists Leaders Over Integrity". Citizen Media. 16 January 2013. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  13. ↑ MOSOKU, GEOFFREY. "Legislators threaten to initiate removal of Charity Ngilu if she doesn't resign and if the President doesn't sack her". Standard Newspaper. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
  14. ↑ NGIRACHU, JOHN (November 5, 2013). "Charity Ngilu land report splits House". The Daily Nation. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
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