Moses Wetangula
| Moses Wetangula | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Senate Minority Leader | |
| In office 17 April 2013 – 16 October 2013 | |
| Succeeded by | Hassan Abdurrahman (acting) |
| Senator for Bungoma County | |
| In office 28 March 2013 – 16 October 2013 | |
| Succeeded by | (vacant) |
| Minister for Trade | |
| In office 27 March 2012 – 10 April 2013 | |
| President | Mwai Kibaki |
| Preceded by | Chirau Ali Mwakwere |
| Succeeded by | (abolished) |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 24 August 2011 – 26 March 2012 | |
| President | Mwai Kibaki |
| Preceded by | George Saitoti (acting) |
| Succeeded by | Sam Ongeri |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 10 January 2008 – 27 March 2010 | |
| President | Mwai Kibaki |
| Preceded by | Raphael Tuju |
| Succeeded by | George Saitoti (acting) |
| Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 17 June 2003 – 10 January 2008 | |
| President | Mwai Kibaki |
| Succeeded by | Richard Onyonka |
| Member of Parliament for Sirisia Constituency | |
| In office 9 January 2003 – 14 January 2013 | |
| Preceded by | John Barasa Munyasia |
| Succeeded by | John Waluke Koyi |
| Nominated Member of Parliament | |
| In office 26 January 1993 – 10 November 1997 | |
| President | Daniel arap Moi |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 13 September 1956 |
| Nationality | Kenyan |
| Political party | FORD-Kenya |
| Alma mater | University of Nairobi (LLB) |
Moses Masika Wetangula (born 13 September 1956) was the Kenyan Senate Minority Leader and Senator for Bungoma County. He previously served as the Minister for Trade and Minister for Foreign Affairs. He represented Sirisia Constituency in the National Assembly from February 2003 until January 2013.
Early life
Wetangula went to Nalondo Primary School, Busakala secondary school, Teremi Secondary School, and Friends School Kamusinga before being admitted to the University of Nairobi, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
Politics
He was nominated as a Kanu MP after the 1992 general election, serving until 1997. He has held several other previous public positions which include that of magistrate and the chairman Electricity Regulatory Board. Wetangula actively participated in organisation of funds-drives to set up projects on self-help basis and has been offering legal services to the local people. He has mobilised women and the youth to initiate income generating projects.
Wetangula was elected to the National Assembly in the December 2002 parliamentary election. In the Cabinet appointed by President Mwai Kibaki on 8 January 2008, in the midst of a crisis regarding the results of the concurrent presidential election, Wetangula was named Minister for Foreign Affairs.[1] Later in January, in reaction to criticism from the United Kingdom regarding the presidential election, Wetangula summoned the United Kingdom's High Commissioner, Adam Wood, to complain, and he said that "our elections don't need a stamp of authority from the House of Commons".[2] After a power-sharing agreement was reached between Kibaki and Raila Odinga, both of whom claimed victory in the presidential election, Wetangula retained his post in the Grand Coalition Cabinet named on 13 April 2008.[3]
In March 2012, Wetangula was stranded in Bamako, Mali during a coup d'état. He was evacuated after being trapped in his hotel room for several days.[4]
Shortly after Wetangula's return, Kibaki shuffled his cabinet. Wetangula left his post as Foreign Minister and became the Trade Minister.[5]
Tokyo embassy scandal
Wetangula left his ministerial post on 27 October 2010 due to ongoing investigation on his alleged involvement in the Kenyan Tokyo embassy scandal.[6] It was alleged that instead of accepting free property from the government of Japan for the embassy, 1.6 billion shillings was withheld from the sale of Kenyan property in Nigeria and used to buy a less suitable property.[7]
George Saitoti served as acting foreign minister during Wetangula's absence. Wetangula returned to the ministry in August 2011, though he permanently left the position a few months later.
Senate Minority Leader
After winning election to the Senate, Wetangula was selected to serve as Minority Leader of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy. The Bungoma High Court nullified his election on 30 September 2013 and the Speaker of the Senate declared the seat vacant on 16 October 2013. In a by-election held on 19 December 2013, Ford Kenya candidate Moses Wetangula recaptured his Bungoma senatorial seat with a landslide win after garnering 149,458 votes against his main contender Musikari Kombo, who got about a half of the votes.
Kombo, who was vying on a New Ford Kenya ticket, came second with 81,016 votes followed by independent candidate David Makali and Labour Party of Kenya candidate Bifwoli Wakoli at a distant third and fourth place respectively.
Makali secured 2,155 votes while Wakoli garnered 1,899 votes from a total of 942 polling stations, with a 57 percent voter turnout.
References
- ↑ "Kenya: Kibaki Names Cabinet", The East African Standard (allAfrica.com), 8 January 2008.
- ↑ "Kenya opposition in boycott plan", Al Jazeera, 21 January 2008.
- ↑ Anthony Kariuki, "Kibaki names Raila PM in new Cabinet", nationmedia.com, 13 April 2008.
- ↑ Dave Opiyo (25 March 2012). "Wetang’ula rescued from Mali coup hell". The Daily Nation. Retrieved 25 March 2012.
- ↑ Nderitu Ndegwa (28 March 2012). "I did well at Foreign Ministry – Wetangula". Capital FM. Retrieved 18 May 2013.
- ↑ Daily Nation, 27 October 2010: Kenya minister steps aside over saga
- ↑ Expensive Tokyo embassy leads to Kenyan resignations
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