Mutava Musyimi
Encyclopedia
Mutava Musyimi is a Kenya
n politician. He belongs to the Party of National Unity
and was elected to represent the Gachoka Constituency
in the National Assembly of Kenya
since the Kenyan parliamentary election, 2007
.
. He is the third born of eight children. He grew up in a Christian home, and attended Riakanau Primary School from 1959-1965. He later joined the prestigious Kangaru School, Embu in 1969. He attended the University of Nairobi
(Kenyatta Campus- which later became Kenyatta University
) in 1972 to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree. It was during this time that he felt the call to become a man of the cloth. After much thought, prayer and consulting, he decided to follow this route, though it took him down a different path. He later joined University of London
for a Bachelor of Divinity degree and thereafter the Trinity Divinity School, Illinois
for a Master of Theology degree. Upon returning to Kenya, he joined the Nairobi Baptist Church as a Pastor from 1979- 1993. He married his wife Nyambura Musyimi on February 4th, 1984 and later had two children; a daughter, Mueni-Nyokabi (25), a lawyer and theology teacher and a son, Syano (23) a PhD candidate.
(NCCK) as the Secretary General and served until 2007. Under his leadership, NCCK was very vocal on human rights issues, democracy and constitutionalism. Introspectively, NCCK made huge leaps in achieving its mandate including; financial stability and sustainability, advocacy and strengthening of its systems and priorities. He led the interfaith Ufungamano Initiative that was instrumental in shaping and achieving Kenya’s new Constitution.
and won, defeating the fifty (50) year old hold the Nyaga family had on the constituency. During his tenure, Gachoka Constituency
has seen improved infrastructure including new roads, piped water, electrification and better utilization and monitoring of Constituency Development Funds (CDF). In Parliament he is the current chair of the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, and a member of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee. He has been touted by several media publications to run for presidency.
and Wole Soyinka
…it is interesting to see how they capture the disruption of [African] society by colonialism, religion…’ Mutava is currently working his way through the Bible in Swahili. He does not like movies, but when pushed on it admits to be partial to Meryl Streep
especially in Out of Africa
.
He admires Nelson Mandela
for his sacrifice and patience, Nobel Laureate Wangari Maathai
for her passion and persistence, Winston Churchill
for his courage and discernment of the times and his late father because he was ‘…a complete person. In faith, family, politics, enterprise and community…’ Asked what historical figure he would have over for dinner if he could he answered King David
of the Bible and Mahatma Gandhi
. The king, because of his ability to blend all his different capacities into one human being, and the Mahatma for his deep reflections.
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. He belongs to the Party of National Unity
Party of National Unity (Kenya)
Party of National Unity was founded as a political coalition of parties in Kenya. On September 16, 2007, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki announced the party formation and said that he would run as its presidential candidate in the December 2007 Kenyan elections...
and was elected to represent the Gachoka Constituency
Gachoka Constituency
Gachoka Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of two constituencies of Mbeere District. It has seven wards, all of which elect councillors for the Mbeere County Council. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections....
in the National Assembly of Kenya
National Assembly of Kenya
The unicameral National Assembly of Kenya is the country's legislative body.The current National Assembly has a total of 224 members. 210 members are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple majority system...
since the Kenyan parliamentary election, 2007
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....
.
Early Life & Family
Mutava Musyimi was born in 1952 to Tabitha Kisilu and veteran politician Stephen Kisilu (both deceased) in Riakanau village, Embu DistrictEmbu District
Embu District is an administrative district in the Eastern Province of Kenya. Its capital town is Embu. The district has a population of 278,196 The district has two constituencies: Manyatta Constituency and Runyenjes Constituency.- External links :*...
. He is the third born of eight children. He grew up in a Christian home, and attended Riakanau Primary School from 1959-1965. He later joined the prestigious Kangaru School, Embu in 1969. He attended the University of Nairobi
University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution goes back to 1956, it did not become an independent university until 1970 when the University of East Africa was split into three independent universities: Makerere University in...
(Kenyatta Campus- which later became Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University
Kenyatta University, located in Nairobi, Kenya is the second largest public university in the country . The University is located in Kahawa, about from Nairobi's city centre, along the Nairobi-Thika road.- History :...
) in 1972 to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree. It was during this time that he felt the call to become a man of the cloth. After much thought, prayer and consulting, he decided to follow this route, though it took him down a different path. He later joined University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
for a Bachelor of Divinity degree and thereafter the Trinity Divinity School, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
for a Master of Theology degree. Upon returning to Kenya, he joined the Nairobi Baptist Church as a Pastor from 1979- 1993. He married his wife Nyambura Musyimi on February 4th, 1984 and later had two children; a daughter, Mueni-Nyokabi (25), a lawyer and theology teacher and a son, Syano (23) a PhD candidate.
The Church
It was during his tenure at Nairobi Baptist Church that he came to the limelight as he spoke openly against the excesses of the Moi era. He later said, '...it is at Nairobi Baptist Church I started to see the state and individuals…and the pulpit as a powerful place for speaking out against injustice...'. He joined the National Council of Churches of KenyaNational Council of Churches of Kenya
The National Council of Churches of Kenya , is a fellowship of Protestant churches and Christian organisations registered in Kenya...
(NCCK) as the Secretary General and served until 2007. Under his leadership, NCCK was very vocal on human rights issues, democracy and constitutionalism. Introspectively, NCCK made huge leaps in achieving its mandate including; financial stability and sustainability, advocacy and strengthening of its systems and priorities. He led the interfaith Ufungamano Initiative that was instrumental in shaping and achieving Kenya’s new Constitution.
The State
In 2007 Mutava left NCCK and ran for Parliament as Gachoka’s MP. He ran against Joseph NyagahJoseph Nyagah
Joseph Nyagah is a Kenyan politician and is currently the Minister of Cooperative Development and Marketing in Kenya's grand coalition government....
and won, defeating the fifty (50) year old hold the Nyaga family had on the constituency. During his tenure, Gachoka Constituency
Gachoka Constituency
Gachoka Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of two constituencies of Mbeere District. It has seven wards, all of which elect councillors for the Mbeere County Council. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections....
has seen improved infrastructure including new roads, piped water, electrification and better utilization and monitoring of Constituency Development Funds (CDF). In Parliament he is the current chair of the Lands and Natural Resources Committee, and a member of the Justice and Legal Affairs Committee. He has been touted by several media publications to run for presidency.
Hobbies
His hobbies include farming, football, art appreciation, and meeting people. He likes to read biographies and African literature. He says ‘…I’m particularly interested in the works of the likes of Chinua AchebeChinua Achebe
Albert Chinụalụmọgụ Achebe popularly known as Chinua Achebe is a Nigerian novelist, poet, professor, and critic...
and Wole Soyinka
Wole Soyinka
Akinwande Oluwole "Wole" Soyinka is a Nigerian writer, poet and playwright. He was awarded the 1986 Nobel Prize in Literature, where he was recognised as a man "who in a wide cultural perspective and with poetic overtones fashions the drama of existence", and became the first African in Africa and...
…it is interesting to see how they capture the disruption of [African] society by colonialism, religion…’ Mutava is currently working his way through the Bible in Swahili. He does not like movies, but when pushed on it admits to be partial to Meryl Streep
Meryl Streep
Mary Louise "Meryl" Streep is an American actress who has worked in theatre, television and film.Streep made her professional stage debut in 1971's The Playboy of Seville, before her screen debut in the television movie The Deadliest Season in 1977. In that same year, she made her film debut with...
especially in Out of Africa
Out of Africa
Out of Africa is a 1985 romantic drama film directed and produced by Sydney Pollack, and starring Robert Redford and Meryl Streep. The film is based loosely on the autobiographical book Out of Africa written by Isak Dinesen , which was published in 1937, with additional material from Dinesen's book...
.
He admires 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...
for his sacrifice and patience, Nobel Laureate 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...
for her passion and persistence, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
for his courage and discernment of the times and his late father because he was ‘…a complete person. In faith, family, politics, enterprise and community…’ Asked what historical figure he would have over for dinner if he could he answered King David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
of the Bible and Mahatma Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. The king, because of his ability to blend all his different capacities into one human being, and the Mahatma for his deep reflections.