Nakuru County Leaders from Independence (1963)

Nakuru has had many MPs since the early days. At independence in 1963, Nakuru County, back then known as Nakuru District had four constituencies. Over time, Nakuru has grown to eleven constituencies. The original constituencies were Nakuru North (1966), Nakuru East, Nakuru West and Nakuru Town.

Nakuru North has over time given birth to Rongai, Subukia and Bahati while Nakuru West has spawned Njoro, Molo, Kuresoi North and Kuresoi South.

Nakuru East consisted the present-day Naivasha and Gilgil constituencies while Nakuru Town is today Nakuru Town East and Nakuru Town West.

Nakuru Independence MPs – 1963 Elections

At independence, there were three MPs elected to represent Nakuru District. All the MPS were elected on a KANU ticket. The MPs were;

1. Achieng Oneko – Nakuru Town
2. Fred Kubai – Nakuru East
3. Harry James Onamu – Nakuru West

Nakuru MPs – 1966 Little general election

In 1966, Vice President Jaramogi Oginga Odinga formed the Kenya Peoples Union (KPU). Some MPs followed him into the party which led to the “Little General Election” of 1966. These are the MPs that were elected at the election.

1. Mark Waruiru Mwithaga – Nakuru Town
2. Fred Polworth Kibuthu Kubai – Nakuru East
3. Muhia Babu Wood – Nakuru North
4. Harry James Onamu – Nakuru West

Nakuru MPs 1969

The second general election was held in 1969. The following were elected MPs in Nakuru;

1. Willy Komen – Nakuru West
2. Muhia Babu Wood – Nakuru North
3. Mark Mwithaga – Nakuru Town
4. Fred Kubai – Nakuru West

Nakuru MPs 1974

1. E. N Kariuki – Nakuru West
2. Kihika Kimani – Nakuru North
3. Nakuru East – S.T Kairo
4. Mark Mwithaga – Nakuru Town (later Willy Komen)

There was a by-election in Nakuru Town in 1976 where Willy Komen replaced Mark Mwithaga as the MP.

Nakuru MPs 1979

1. Nakuru Town – Mark Mwithaga
2. Nakuru East – Keffa Njuguna Wagara
3. Nakuru West – James Njenga Mungai
4. Nakuru North – Koigi wa Wamwere ( Koigi was detained in 1982 and Francis Koima arap Kimosop was elected as MP)

Nakuru MPs 1983

1. Nakuru West – James Njenga Mungai
2. Nakuru North – Francis Koima Kimosop (In 1986, Francis Koima committed suicide. In the ensuing by-election, Eric Kibet Bomett was elected MP)
3. Nakuru Town – Amos Kabiru Kimemia
4. Nakuru East – Fred Kubai

Nakuru MPs 1988

In the 1988 elections, Nakuru West Constituency was renamed Molo Constituency and Rongai was created from Nakuru North. These are the Nakuru MPs elected during that election.

1. Molo – James Njenga Mungai
2. Nakuru North – Silas Mburu Gichua
3. Rongai – Eric Kibet Koras Bomett
4. Nakuru Town – Amos Kabiru Kimemia
5. Nakuru East – Gitahi Ngaruro

Nakuru MPs 1992

For the first time since 1966, Kenya went into elections in a multiparty state. Since independence, all Nakuru MPs had been from the KANU party. However, in 1992, the newly formed opposition party (Ford Asili) led by Kenneth Matiba took the lead. KANU managed only one out of the five seats.

1. Molo – James Njenga Mungai (Ford Asili)
2. Nakuru North – Joseph K. Kimani (Ford Asili)
3. Rongai – William K. Komen (KANU)
4. Nakuru Town – J.C Lwali Oyondi (Ford Asili)
5. Nakuru East – Francis J. M. Wanyange (Ford Asili)

Nakuru MPs 1997

In the 1997 elections, Kuresoi Constituency was created from Molo Constituency and Nakuru North was renamed Subukia while Nakuru East got Naivasha as its new name. KANU continued to lose but managed two out of the six seats. Mwai Kibaki’s Democratic Party (DP) carried the day. The following MPs were elected.

1. Molo – Dixon Kihika Kimani (DP)
2. Kuresoi – James Cheruiyot arap Koske (KANU)
3. Rongai – Eric Toroitich Morogo (KANU)
4. Subukia – Joseph M. Kuria (DP)
5. Nakuru Town – David Manyara Njuki (DP)
6. Naivasha – Paul Samuel Kihara (DP)

Nakuru MPs 2003

For once, KANU was elected out of power since independence. Daniel T. Moi was no longer the president as Mwai Kibaki took over with Kijana Wamalwa as the Vice President. This time around, the National Alliance Rainbow Coalition (NARC) carried the day not only in Nakuru but also in most parts of the country. The following MPs were elected.

For the first time, Nakuru elected a woman (Alicen Chelaite) to parliament. Jayne Kihara became the second shortly after when she was elected to replace her husband Paul Kihara who died a few months into the new government. Nakuru suffered another blow when the Nakuru Town MP Mirugi Kariuki who was also an assistant minister died in a plane crash.

1. Molo – Macharia Mukiri (NARC)
2. Kuresoi – Moses Kipkemboi Cheboi (KANU)
3. Rongai – Alicen J. Ronoh Chelaite (NARC)
4. Subukia – Koigi wa Wamwere (NARC)
5. Nakuru Town – Mirugi Kariuki (NARC) – Mirugi died in a plane crash in 2006 and was replaced by his son William Kariuki one year before the 2007 general elections.
6. Naivasha – Paul Kihara (NARC) – Paul Kihara died just a few months after being elected. His wife Jayne Kihara was elected MP in his place.

Nakuru MPs – 2007

This was President Kibaki’s second term in office. The aftermath of the general election was rocked with chaos and violence that left thousands dead, maimed and displaced. Nakuru was especially badly hit by the 2008 Post Election Violence (PEV).

The following MPs were elected.

1. Molo – Joseph Ng’ang’a Kiuna (PNU)
2. Kuresoi – Zakayo Cheruiyot
3. Rongai – Luka Kigen (ODM)
4. Subukia – Nelson Gaichuhie (PNU)
5. Nakuru Town – Lee Kinyanjui (PNU)
6. Naivasha – John Njenga Michael Mututho (KANU)

Nakuru County MPs 2012

In 2012, Kenya went into the elections under a new constitution promulgated in 2010. It was also time to elect the fourth president with Kibaki having served his maximum two terms.

Constituencies (also called sub-counties in the newly devolved governance) had also been reviewed. Nakuru now boasted of 11 constituencies. Naivasha had birthed Gilgil, Subukia gave birth to Bahati, Njoro was created from Molo and Kuresoi was divided into Kuresoi North and Kuresoi south. Nakuru Town was also divided into Nakuru Town East and Nakuru Town West.

The new constitution had also re-introduced the post of the County Senator and created the post of the Governor as the County head.

These were the leaders elected in Nakuru Couty at the 2012 elections.

• Governor – Kinuthia Mbugua (TNA)
• Senator – James Kiarie Mungai (TNA)
• Naivasha – John Karanja Kihagi (TNA)
• Gilgil – Samuel Mathenge (TNA)
• Subukia – Nelson Gaichuhie (TNA)
• Bahati – Onesmus Kimani Ngunjiri (TNA)
• Nakuru Town East – David Gikaria (TNA)
• Nakuru Town West – Samuel Arama (ODM)
• Rongai – Raymond Moi (KANU)
• Njoro – Joseph Kiuna (TNA)
• Molo – Jacob Macharia (TNA)
• Kuresoi South – Zakayo Cheruiyot (URP)
• Kuresoi North – Joseph Kipkemboi Cheboi (KANU)
• Nakuru County Assembly Speaker – Susan Kihika

Nakuru County leaders in 2017

• Governor – Lee Kinyanjui (Jubilee)
• Senator – Susan Kihika (JP)
• Naivasha – Jayne Kihara (JP)
• Gilgil – Martha Wangari (JP)
• Subukia – Samuel Gachobe (JP)
• Bahati – Onesmus Kimani Ngunjiri (JP)
• Nakuru Town East – David Gikaria (JP)
• Nakuru Town West – Samuel Arama (JP)
• Rongai – Raymond Moi (KANU)
• Njoro – Charity Kathambi Chepkwony (JP)
• Molo – Francis Kuria Kimani (JP)
• Kuresoi South – Joseph Tonui (JP)
• Kuresoi North – Joseph Kipkemboi Cheboi (JP)
• Nakuru County Assembly Speaker – Joel Maina Kairu

#NakuruHistory

Author: Martin Gichinga