Former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi has decided to quit active politics after more than three decades in politics.
Kiraitu made the announcement on Tuesday, January 27, while speaking at Laikipia University, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of his long years in active politics and public service. While speaking to the audience at the university, Kiraitu announced that his time in active politics had come to an end.
“I have learnt my lessons,” he said. “After more than 30 years in active politics, it is time to call it quits.”
Kiraitu entered politics in 1992 when he was elected to Parliament for the first time. He later became a Cabinet Minister in the administration of former President Mwai Kibaki before returning to elective politics in 2013 to contest for the Meru Senator seat. In 2017, he was elected Governor of Meru.
Kiraitu’s long journey in politics, however, came to an end in the 2022 General Election when he lost the governor’s seat to Kawira Mwangaza.
Although he lost in the 2022 General Election, Kiraitu did not totally quit politics in 2023 when President William Ruto appointed him chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK).
Making his remarks even more personal, Kiraitu revealed that the loss of the 2022 election had been a difficult blow for him. He explained that the loss had almost sent him into depression because politics had been his life for most of his adult life.
“For over 30 years, this is what I knew,” Kiraitu said, explaining that he had no interest in returning to that state of mind.
It was his experiences during the nine months he spent counselling and training after leaving office that influenced his decision to concentrate on promoting happiness and positivity at work. Kiraitu revealed that he hopes to use his experiences to advise fellow politicians on adjusting to life outside politics.
In the months leading up to his announcement, there had been speculation that Kiraitu was planning on returning to politics and vying for a seat ahead of the 2027 elections. Some of his supporters had even hinted at the possibility of Kiraitu vying for a Senate seat.
However, on Tuesday, Kiraitu appeared to shut the door on any chances of returning to politics, revealing that he wanted to give younger politicians room to step into the scene.
His wife, Priscillah Murungi, welcomed Kiraitu’s decision, revealing that it was time for Kiraitu to slow down and explore other aspects of life that were not politics.
