Kiaraitu Murungi Lands State Job Three Days After Losing Election 

Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi in his office.
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi in his office.
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Outgoing Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi has been handed a soft landing after losing his reelection bid. 

Murungi was on Monday, July 15, sworn-in as a member of the Kenya Law Reform Commission (KLRC).

He was among the six new members appointed to the commission by President Uhuru Kenyatta. Also on the list of the new commissioners is Christine Anyango who will be the new chairperson of KLRC.

Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi
Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi addressing a crowd at a past event
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The oath of office was officiated by the registrar of the Judiciary Ms. Anne Amadi and witnessed by Chief Justice Martha Koome. 

KLRC is a semi-autonomous agency under the State Law Office which is mandated to review laws and initiate developments.

Murungi came in third in the race for Meru governor. Independent candidate Kawira Mwangaza won the hotly contested race with 209,158 votes. Outgoing Senator Mithinka Linturi was second with  183, 859 votes while Murungi garnered  110,850 votes. 

The loss brought his long political career which spanned more than 30 years to a screeching halt. Prior to the humiliating defeat, Murungi had been in active politics since 1992 when he was first elected as Imenti South Member of Parliament. 

Besides being a veteran politician, Murungi is a trained lawyer from the prestigious Havard University. He played an active role in the second liberation politics which was agitating for the return of multiparty politics in the 1990s. 

He was also a high-ranking cabinet minister in the late president Mwai Kibaki’s government. He was appointed as the Minister of Energy in 2005 and later reinstated to the position in 2008 in the Grand Coalition government. 

Murungi also served as Meru County Senator before shifting focus to the gubernatorial position in 2017. He dethroned former governor Peter Munya to occupy the seat for five years. 

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga (left) and Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi at Maua Stadium on Thursday, March 10, 2022.
Azimio La Umoja flagbearer Raila Odinga (left) and former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi at Maua Stadium on Thursday, March 10, 2022.
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