Governor Mwangi wa Iria has a domineering political presence in Murang’a and the uncanny ability to stand his ground on issues he believes in.
The bespectacled county boss never shies away from fights, especially those touching on milk, coffee, tea, avocado, water, national politics and even the coronavirus.
This week, he forgot he was live on air on a vernacular TV station and admonished young men making noise a few metres away.
“Stop your boyish behaviours, rubbish,” he shouted, to the shock of the presenter on Kameme TV, moments after distributing masks to Murang’a residents made by local institutions.
The past month has seen the second-term county boss issue controversial directives regarding the spread of Covid-19.
“This will be unpopular, but I do not want to see people from other counties visiting Murang’a. Murang’a people should also stay in Murang’a. Experts say this virus is spread by people moving from one place to the other,” Mr Iria, who was among the first to propose restriction of movements in a bid to control the disease, said while distributing locally made sanitisers in Murang’a Town.
He was vindicated when the government announced a stop to travel from Nairobi to counties shortly afterwards.
Mr Iria also said women should shave their husband’s beards at home, adding that barbers can spread the deadly virus.
He “advised” women to do their hair at home and avoid salons. “It is time couples began shaving each other as you discuss family issues; I also do that. Let us help the government fight this virus,” he said.
But perhaps the biggest ambition of Mr Iria’s administration is building modern intensive care and high dependency units in 21 days.
He says the units will be the biggest in Mt Kenya. They are being put up at Murang’a Level Five Hospital. This is in addition to giving locals free maize seeds, sanitisers and face masks.
Mr Iria was thrust into the national limelight when his contract as New KCC managing director was not renewed in 2009.
During a parliamentary session, the then Mathira MP Ephraim Maina — now Nyeri senator — said the then minister for Cooperative Development Joseph Nyaga had declined to renew Mr Iria’s contract.
The governor’s handlers, however, say he was shown the door “by people with vested interests” after reviving the loss-making public-owned milk processor.
Not the one to give up easily, Mr Iria delved into politics. Unfortunately, his official name — Francis Mwangi — hardly registered in his native Murang’a County.
Residents knew him as Mwangi wa Iria, a name he adopted and capitalised on to comfortably win the gubernatorial seat in 2013 on a The National Alliance (TNA) ticket.
Mr Iria garnered 335,280 votes against Dr Moses Mwangi’s 43,103. Former Kandara MP Gacuuru wa Karenge had 4,467 votes, Mr Julius Kaberere (31,572) and Mr Samuel Njuguna (4,626).
“I owe my political success to a strong spirit and acumen and the belief the people of Murang’a have in me,” he said recently.
One of the lowest points in his political career was when he was picked up by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission detectives from his office in April 2015.
The Moi University bachelor of education graduate and former manager at Kenya Breweries Ltd was bundled into a police pickup truck and driven from Murang’a town to Nairobi.
“Wameniweka kwa Land Rover ndio dunia yote ione (They have put me in a Land Rover for the whole world to see),” the county boss said.
He was one of only two Mt Kenya governors to successfully defend and win their seats on a Jubilee Party ticket in August 2017. The other was Embu’s Martin Wambora.
Interestingly, Mr Wambora was also impeached by the assembly during his first term.
In 2018, Mr Iria’s administration was involved in disputes with water firms on who and how the sector should be controlled.
Away from politics, the governor is credited with improving the avocado and dairy industries in Murang’a. The Hass avocado variety has become the most lucrative cash crop in the region.
The fruit is popular in Europe and other parts of the world. Mr Iria was born in Kiboi village, Kiharu constituency. He attended Kiboi Primary School, Wethaga Boys High School and Moi University, Eldoret.
