Benson Mutura: The new boss at City Hall

A footballer with a lethal left foot, a Chelsea fan and a staunch Catholic. These are some of the attributes of the man set to become the acting Governor of Nairobi today, Benson Mutura Kangara.  

Known as ‘Bena’ to his peers, the Nairobi County Assembly Speaker was born and raised in Bahati — currently in Makadara Constituency, but formerly in Kamukunji — in 1972.

Mutura is the son of Mr Kangara Mutura, a former councilor of Kimathi Ward. He is the first born in a family of five — three boys and two girls. 

Mutura attended Uhuru-Bahati Primary School before joining Dagoretti High School between 1986 and 1990. He sat his KSCE exams in 1990.

He then joined Graffin College in Nairobi the following year, where he earned a certificate in computer service.

“He used to be a very good footballer with a fearsome left foot. He played for Dagoretti High as well as Bahati Sports,” says Kariobangi South MCA Robert Mbatia, who grew up with Mutura.

From 1993 to 1995, Mr Mutura was at Kenya Polytechnic (now Technical University of Kenya), for a diploma in procurement and supplies. He then tried his hand in the matatu business before venturing into politics.

"Very quiet"

The 48-year-old vied for the Kimathi Ward seat, winning it before being re-elected in 2002. Kimathi Ward is now known as Hamza Maringo Ward and is in Makadara Constituency.

“He is normally very quiet, reserved but very sharp. He is a man of the people and a Chelsea fan,” says Mr Mbatia, a former councillor of Uhuru Ward.

In 2006, Mr Mutura joined Jomo Kenyatta University where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Governance and Leadership in 2010. He then enrolled at Kenya Methodist University for a degree in Business Commerce, graduating in 2014.

In his second term as a councillor, he took a stab at the mayor’s post but lost at the primaries to James Gakuya, who later lost to Makadara MP George Aladwa.

Mutura vied for the Makadara parliamentary seat in 2013 on a TNA ticket to replace Mike Sonko, who had moved to contest the Nairobi senatorial seat. He defeated Aladwa.

His love for football would see him launch several sports facilities, the best known being the Sh50 million Camp Toyoyo grounds in Makadara and a Sh3 million handball court in Kaloleni during his stint as Makadara MP.

"Calculating and strategic"

Human Rights activist Brian Weke, who grew up with Mutura, remembers him as a cool, calm and collected person.

“What he is, is who is. He looks ice cold but he is very calculating and strategic. You could mistake his demeanour to be ice cold but he is a people-oriented person,” says Mr Weke.

“He grew up playing football and still plays it to date. In his first term as MP, his first project was Camp Toyoyo,” he adds.

He would, however, lose the parliamentary seat in 2017 to Aladwa.

The soft-spoken father of three then retreated to a private life until August when Jubilee Party settled on him to replace former Nairobi County Assembly Speaker Beatrice Elachi.

He took over as the new Speaker days after 99 out of 122 Nairobi MCAs voted him in as the assembly’s third Speaker from a pool of six other candidates.

Mutura will on Monday be sworn in as acting Nairobi governor after postponement of his swearing-in last Friday. This was after the assigned, Judge Justice Jairus Ngaah, arrived late for the ceremony last Friday.

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