Chelagat Mutai

Home

People

Community Leaders

Chelagat Mutai

Philomena Chelagat Mutai is a famous politician from Nandi who became the first Kalenjin woman to be elected into parliament. She rose to a national limelight in association with the "Seven Bearded Sisters". This nickname was coined by Njonjo to describe the group. In them, Njonjo saw communists out to serve their foreign masters. They all neither sported beards nor were they all female. Only Ms. Mutai was.

The rest were: Onyango Midika (Nyando), Koigi Wamwere (Nakuru North), James Orengo (Ugenya), George Anyona (Kitutu East), Chibule wa Tsuma (Kaloleni) and Mashengu wa Mwachofi (Wundanyi). Lawrence Sifuna (Bumula) and Abuya Abuya, replacing his friend Mr Anyona (Kitutu East) joined later. Ms Chelagat Mutai was forced to abandon the Eldoret North seat and flee to Tanzania to escape the threat of jail by the government of President Daniel arap Moi.

Born in 1949 at Terige village in Lessos, Nandi district, Ms Mutai has been controversial since her high school days. At Highlands Girls School, she earned her first expulsion after leading a students strike. She sat her 'A' level examinations from outside the institution but to the surprise of many, excelled and joined the University of Nairobi to read political science.

It was at the university that her political activism was refined when she served as editor of the students magazine, The Platform. She was critical of the Kanu leadership, which saw her in and out of university before completing her studies to venture into real politics.

In 1972, her uncle, then Eldoret North MP William Saina was jailed for incitement. A by-election was called and Ms Mutai was encouraged by then non-conformist Tinderet MP, the late Jean Marie Seroney, to enter the race. She had to battle it out with 12 other contestants. When the results were announced, she became the first Kalenjin woman ever elected to Parliament. She was just 24.

In 1976, she was arrested and sentenced to six months. She was accused of inciting her constituents to invade a sisal plantation at Ziwa. But even after serving the sentence and resuming her parliamentary seat, the Government continued hounding her. Early in 1983, she was targeted for allegedly filing fake Parliamentary mileage claims.

To escape another jail term, she sought political asylum in Tanzania. She was repatriated in 1984 and resorted to a humble life. Ms Mutai even mended fences with the Moi regime and briefly served the establishment before retreating to private life.

But she kept out of the activism that led to re-introduction of multi-party politics and the rehabilitation of critics who had been ostracised under one-party rule.

[Source: Compiled by A. Kiprop. 2007]

More articles about Ms. Mutai here:

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email this

Comments (1) Add Comment

...
written by arapkubai, May 28, 2007

bravo ms chelangat.i encourage other kalenjin women 2 take up more active role in politics.otherwise kasubayak/kakatak pikab kalenjin tukul.greetings from sebei and uganda.ani chemonges

Write comment

You must be logged in to post a comment. Please register if you do not have an account yet.

< Prev		Next >

New Stories
Che Chamatin Kot
Latest Comments
- Ruto Posturing The Bane Of Kalenjin Progress
  The article titled "Ruto Posturing the Bane of Kal...
- Ingen inye Arawek eng' Kalenjin?
  This is wonderfull am fourty but had no i dear til...
- Kipsigis Network
  I an trying to contact William Towett formerly a V...
- Ruto Posturing The Bane Of Kalenjin Progress
  An interesting comment opening up the whole issue ...

Disclaimer

No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to Kalenjin Online for any or all of the articles/images placed here. These articles are informational, specific and/or appeals to the interests of the community that this portal seeks to serve;They do not necessarily imply that we agree or accept them to be accurate, factual or otherwise.