Charity Ngilu
Encyclopedia
Charity Kaluki Ngilu is a Kenya
n politician. She was Minister of Health from 2003 until 2007 and was appointed as Minister of Water and Irrigation in April 2008.
Ngilu was born in Mbooni
, Makueni District
in 1952. She was educated at Alliance Girls High School
, then worked as a secretary for Central Bank of Kenya
, before becoming an entrepreneur. She acted as a director of a plastics extrusion factory.
central constituency seat on the Democratic Party
ticket.
In the December 1997 general election
, she ran for the presidency and along with Wangari Maathai
became the first ever female presidential candidates in Kenya. Ngilu then represented the Social Democratic Party of Kenya. She finished fifth.
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 January 3, 2003. Ngilu was seen as a new school member in the government, as opposed to old school members like John Michuki
and President Kibaki.
She was also appointed NARC chairperson. 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, though NARC is still officially the ruling party. She has been viewed as a flip flopper who could not decide whether she was in the government between 2003 and 2007 or against the government.
On July 31, 2007, Ngilu took Ann Njogu, a protester, to a hospital after Njogu had allegedly been beaten by police. Ngilu was then accused of helping Njogu escape the police, and she was arrested on August 2 before being released on bail. She reported to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department on August 3 as she was ordered, but would not leave her car, saying that she should either be charged or released. Later on the same day the Nairobi High Court ruled that Ngilu's arrest was illegal, and she was allowed to leave. According to Ngilu's lawyer, she was not aiding an escape and Njogu was returned to the police by the hospital a day after she was taken there.
On October 5, 2007, Ngilu announced her support for the Orange Democratic Movement
and its presidential candidate, Raila Odinga
, in the December 2007 general election
; she has compared Odinga to Nelson Mandela
. She initially said that she was remaining in the government, despite backing Kibaki's main rival. However, her dismissal from the government by Kibaki was announced on October 6.
Ngilu was re-elected to her seat from Kitui Central in the December 2007 parliamentary election
. 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, and in the grand coalition Cabinet named on April 13, 2008 and sworn in on April 17, Ngilu was appointed as Minister of Water and Irrigation.
. Charity Ngilu has three children.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n politician. She was Minister of Health from 2003 until 2007 and was appointed as Minister of Water and Irrigation in April 2008.
Ngilu was born in Mbooni
Mbooni
Mbooni is a settlement in the Makueni District of Kenya's Eastern Province....
, Makueni District
Makueni District
Makueni District is an administrative district in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Wote. The district has a population of 771,545 and an area of 7,966 km² .The district has five constituencies:*Mbooni Constituency...
in 1952. She was educated at Alliance Girls High School
Alliance Girls High School
Alliance Girls' High School is a national girls school with boarding facilities located in the small town of Kikuyu in the Kiambu District of the Central Province of Kenya, 20 km away from the central Nairobi...
, then worked as a secretary for Central Bank of Kenya
Central Bank of Kenya
The Central Bank of Kenya is Kenya's central bank. The bank is located in Nairobi. The current governor of the bank is Professor Njuguna Ndungu whose appointment took effect from March 4, 2007...
, before becoming an entrepreneur. She acted as a director of a plastics extrusion factory.
Political life
In Kenya's first ever multiparty elections held in 1992, Charity Ngilu pulled off a big surprise by capturing the KituiKitui
Kitui is a town in Kenya, 130 kilometers east of Nairobi and 75 kilometers east of Machakos. It used to be the capital of the Kitui District in Eastern Province of Kenya. Due to political reforms, Kitui is now the headquarters of Kitui County, which covers a larger area than the former district did...
central constituency seat on the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (Kenya)
The Democratic Party is a conservative political party in Kenya.At the last legislative elections, 27 December 2002, the party was a partner in the National Rainbow Coalition, that won 56.1% of the popular vote and 125 out of 210 elected seats. The party itself took 36 of these seats...
ticket.
In the December 1997 general election
Kenyan general election, 1997
General elections were held in Kenya on 29 December 1997. The result was a victory for the ruling Kenya African National Union, which won 107 of the 210 seats in the National Assembly, and whose candidate Daniel arap Moi won the presidential election...
, she ran for the presidency and along with Wangari Maathai
Wangari Maathai
Wangari Muta Mary Jo Maathai was a Kenyan environmental and political activist. She was educated in the United States at Mount St. Scholastica and the University of Pittsburgh, as well as the University of Nairobi in Kenya...
became the first ever female presidential candidates in Kenya. Ngilu then represented the Social Democratic Party of Kenya. She finished fifth.
Later, she joined National Party of Kenya
National Party of Kenya
The National Party of Kenya is a political party in Kenya.At the last legislative elections, 27 December 2002, the party was a partner in the National Rainbow Coalition, that won 56.1% of the popular vote and 125 out of 212 elected seats. The party itself took 6 of these seats...
. In the December 2002 general election, her party was part of the National Rainbow Coalition
National Rainbow Coalition
The National Rainbow Coalition was a coalition of Kenyan political parties in power from 2002 and 2005 when it fell apart in a controversy between its wings about a constitutional referendum.-Formation:...
(NARC). The coalition went on to win the elections, and President Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...
appointed her as Minister of Health when he named his Cabinet on January 3, 2003. Ngilu was seen as a new school member in the government, as opposed to old school members like John Michuki
John Michuki
John Njoroge Michuki was born 1932 at Muguru village, Iyego Location, Kangema Division in Murang’a County. Educated in Kenya and abroad, Michuki has emerged as one of the prominent and long-serving civil servants and politicians as well as a businessman in Kenya...
and President Kibaki.
She was also appointed NARC chairperson. However, she was left stranded after the Liberal Democratic Party
Liberal Democratic Party (Kenya)
The Liberal Democratic Party was a political party in Kenya.In the general election held on 27 December 2002, the party was a partner in the National Rainbow Coalition, which won 56.1 % of the popular vote and 125 out of 212 elected seats. The party itself took 59 of these seats...
left the coalition after the defeat of the Government-sponsored draft constitution
Kenyan constitutional referendum, 2005
The 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum was held on 21 November 2005. The proposed new constitution was voted down by a 58% majority of Kenya's voters...
, while most of the remaining NARC members founded the new Narc-Kenya
Narc-Kenya
The National Rainbow Coalition–Kenya is a political party in Kenya. The party was formed after the defeat of the Government sponsored Draft constitution. It was formed by National Rainbow Coalition members loyal to the government...
party, though NARC is still officially the ruling party. She has been viewed as a flip flopper who could not decide whether she was in the government between 2003 and 2007 or against the government.
On July 31, 2007, Ngilu took Ann Njogu, a protester, to a hospital after Njogu had allegedly been beaten by police. Ngilu was then accused of helping Njogu escape the police, and she was arrested on August 2 before being released on bail. She reported to the headquarters of the Criminal Investigations Department on August 3 as she was ordered, but would not leave her car, saying that she should either be charged or released. Later on the same day the Nairobi High Court ruled that Ngilu's arrest was illegal, and she was allowed to leave. According to Ngilu's lawyer, she was not aiding an escape and Njogu was returned to the police by the hospital a day after she was taken there.
On October 5, 2007, Ngilu announced her support for the Orange Democratic Movement
Orange Democratic Movement
Orange Democratic Movement refers to a political party in Kenya, which is the successor of a former grassroots people's movement which was formed in the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum. The erstwhile single party which separated in August 2007 into two...
and its presidential candidate, Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga
Raila Amollo Odinga , also popularly known to Kenyans as Agwambo, is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as the Prime Minister of Kenya in a coalition government. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Langata since 1992, was Minister of Energy from 2001 to 2002, and was Minister of Roads,...
, in the December 2007 general election
Kenyan general election, 2007
Kenyan general election, 2007 was held on 27 December 2007 . It comprised Presidential, parliamentary and civic elections. The previous general election in Kenya was held in 2002.-See also:*Kenyan presidential election, 2007...
; she has compared Odinga to Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
. She initially said that she was remaining in the government, despite backing Kibaki's main rival. However, her dismissal from the government by Kibaki was announced on October 6.
Ngilu was re-elected to her seat from Kitui Central in the December 2007 parliamentary election
Kenyan parliamentary election, 2007
Parliamentary elections in Kenya were held as part of the Kenyan general election on December 27, 2007; presidential elections were held on the same date....
. 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, and in the grand coalition Cabinet named on April 13, 2008 and sworn in on April 17, Ngilu was appointed as Minister of Water and Irrigation.
Personal life
Her husband, Michael Mwendwa Ngilu, died on July 1, 2006 in South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Charity Ngilu has three children.
External links
- http://www.worldpress.org/Africa/1125.cfm
- http://www.mzalendo.com/Members.Details.php?ID=98