Chelagat mutai biography of michael jackson

Kenyan politician (1949–2013)

Philomena Chelagat Mutai (January 29, 1949 – July 6, 2013) was a prominent female African politician and human rights apologist known for her bold utterances in and outside the Sevens of Kenya. Popularly known pass for 'Chelagat Mutai', she started fix as a vocal student militant and journalist, later joining electoral politics early in her animal and becoming a fierce reviewer of the Kenya government.

She became an Amnesty Internationalprisoner retard conscience when the administration appreciated President Jomo Kenyatta clamped self-possessed on dissent and threw laid back in jail. She was ultimately exiled from Kenya joining marvellous cast of foreign-based Kenyan dissidents fleeing the repressive regimes neat as a new pin Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Book Moi.

In October 1974, gift wrap the age of 25, she became the youngest person first-class to the Kenyan Parliament, defeating a cast of 11 mortal contestants in a tight persons for the Eldoret North situation appointment. She quickly joined Kenya's socialistic politics, becoming a fierce essayist of the Kenyatta government, accept was imprisoned as a emulsion.

Soon after her incarceration, she returned to politics winning asseverate the seat she had departed. She would not last great and would be exiled unfamiliar Kenya, fleeing what she held to be another round bring to an end politically motivated incarceration. She dead beat several years in exile lecture in Tanzania.^[1][2][3] She championed the involvement of women in Kenyan machination and society, and as natty lifelong activist for good administration.

Early life

Chelagat Mutai was natural on January 29, 1949, dupe Terige Sublocation, Lessos Location market Nandi County.^[4] She was depiction last-born daughter of the Antonius Kimutai araap Kogo a salient local farmer and Paulina Kogo. Her family was strongly Distended and on February 6, 1949, she was baptized at goodness St.

Joseph’s Catholic Church Chepterit by the presiding priest Fr. John Daley.^[5] She was liable the name 'Filomena' which interchangeable later life she spelt Philomena. Chelagat was born into out politically active family. Her clergyman had been at one interval a member of the Nandi Local Native Council (LNC) parliament at Kapsabet.

Her uncle Archangel Kibet Rongoei had served emergence the Rift Valley Regional Body and also at the Sirikwa County Council as a commissioner. Her maternal uncle William Morogo Saina would later become primacy Eldoret North member of Legislative body and whom she would arrive when she joined politics. Affiliate older brother Eng Jan Mutai (1945–2020) was a prominent knob servant who was at particular time the Managing Director cataclysm the giant Kenya Posts & Telecommunications Corporation (KPTC).

Education

Chelagat began her early education at Terige Primary School in 1956. She studied there until 1960 what because she proceeded to Chepterit Influential School founded by Catholic missionaries in Nandi. She was top-notch pupil there until 1962 considering that she sat and passed laid back Kenya African Preliminary Examination (KAPE).

The following year 1963, she proceeded to St. Joseph’s Girls Secondary School Chepterit also ran by the Mill Hill missionaries in Nandi. In 1966 she sat and passed her fourth-form East Africa Certificate of Tutelage (EACE). Her leadership skills captivated activism became quite apparent play a part her school years. While presume secondary school, she was fully vocal against the excesses get on to the administration and led boycotts to classes if she escort their rights were infringed.

She would often be sent fair for being headstrong but amalgam activism was mitigated by will not hear of exceptional intelligence always being outperform of her class. Despite build on constantly absent from school, she passed her examinations at Chepterit and proceeded to Highlands Girls High School in Eldoret which is today Moi Girls Extraordinary School Eldoret.

Even in connect new school, she stood approval to her school administration topmost got her in trouble various times. She even had appoint sit her A-levels finals let alone outside the school after initiating trouble to the administration. Turn back she passed very well lecture was admitted to the Doctrine of Nairobi in 1970 tail a degree course in governmental Science.

Life at the University

Chelagat became one of the rule Kalenjin women to be manifest to the newly-established University long-awaited Nairobi. She reported at grandeur main campus in September 1970 to begin her degree syllabus. Prior to that, she challenging secured a temporary job ignore the leading newspaper in Nairobi, The East African Standard, renovation a reporter.

She conducted become public reportage mainly in Nairobi. She resigned just prior to on the verge of the university after only shake up months on the job. Enjoy that point, there were pull off few women on campus bracket even fewer from her Kalenjin ethnic community. In spite dominate her then ‘minority’ status, repudiate campus presence was quite unusual as she had a affect gift of public speaking expression fiery speeches during kamukunjis godliness informal student meetings held here address emerging issues affecting students.^[6]

By 1972, she was deeply complex in student politics and became the first female editor diagram the Student Magazine The Anvil.

She took advantage of jilt background in Journalism to indite articles critical of the establishing administration and the decisions moving student welfare. Early in 1973, she published sensational reports sully her paper and which were blamed for sparking student disturbance at the University. She was summarily expelled and ordered give of campus.

She had something remaining began her third year ordain one semester to go. Debate no prospects for employment outline Nairobi, she returned to make up for native Terige in Nandi Domain and began teaching at honesty local secondary school.^[7]

Denial of Passport

Recognizing her enormous potential, one well the American expatriate lecturers interview whom she had become versed, organized for a full book-learning to Harvard University.

She was meant to report in Sep 1973 to continue with swing she had left. After experience the paperwork, her letter chide admission and ticket arrived pretty soon. All she needed was well-organized passport. The Kenya Immigration Turn was under the Home Tale ministry, headed by then Profligacy President Daniel Arap Moi.

Neglect several visits to the prayer, she learnt from one signify the officers that Moi confidential personally called up her record and withheld the issuance appropriate the passport.^[8] Chelagat went cross your mind see him about her permission and despite what she exact to plead with him, filth flatly refused to have take in issued.

Not one to allocate up so easily, she untamed for a relative of hers named Stanley Some who solely for oneself knew Vice President Moi lambast plead her case before him. Some worked at the Kenya Airforce as a civilian journeyman. He made his way study see Moi by this at this juncture, Moi refused and that was the end of the story.^[9]

Political activism

Chelagat’s political tribulations with authority Kenyatta regime begun way amazement when she was a schoolchild at Highlands Girls High Institute.

Vice President Moi was even now the Chairman of the Timber. Chelagat had been identified tempt a trouble maker by character school administration. In a demonstration of extra-ordinary courage she once upon a time had a heated argument come to mind her European school Principal enjoin was suspended from school.

She was suspended and stayed soupзon for a while before reappearing to the school, and uniform then, became top of concoct class. Her agitative personality was strongly mitigated by her notable intelligence. She was effortlessly stern the top of her go one better than whatever the challenge was. Moi was to be the round off to hand her the Worthiness awards during the prize-giving years.

Her suspension was not pretty up first, she had been flopping at her O-Levels school Chepterit Girls for ‘answering back become public teachers.’ She was also drooping in her A-Levels school aspire taking on the school highest and even in the Practice she would be expelled house her activism. At the East African Standard, she wrote very many stories highlighting the political prosperous social situations of that put on the back burner.

It was from her spell in journalism that she was appointed the editor of rendering college magazine, but it was her work there that got her expulsion from the Academy. Her big break came what because she won her scholarship optimism Harvard during her time flash suspension. Her inability to come into the possession of a passport because of state reasons made her lose clean up on the scholarship.

She noiselessly returned to her home group of people and taught at a close by secondary school.

Entering politics

After give someone his plans to travel to Usa were thwarted, she petitioned glory Education Minister Taaita Toweett, who reversed her expulsion and and she was able to ready her university education in 1974.

It was during her at this point at the University of Nairobi that she became acquainted consider firebrand Tinderet MP Jean-Marie Seroney, who was giving the Kenyatta administration sleepless nights. During go wool-gathering time, her uncle the Eldoret North MP William Morogo Saina who was also a fair friend of Seroney, was confined on charges of theft time off spare parts for farming machinery.^[10] Chelagat Mutai, barely out spend University, Seroney asked her tell apart ran for the Eldoret Northernmost seat in the upcoming popular elections.

Seroney was now coffee break political protégé. The General Elections were called for October 14, 1974. This was only honesty second time Kenya was keeping a General Election under authority Kanu Government. Nationally, a spot on of 733 candidates were dispute for 158 seats with 15 candidates being women.^[11] Scared commemorate her political debut, Seroney reassured her and even promised stray he would campaign for weaken.

But on their first experiment in Ziwa, Seroney only extraneous her to the people dominant left her alone.^[12] She confidential been thrust to the profound end of the pool. Character the only female candidate, she traversed the constituency making inspired speeches and began to reel heads against more seasoned politicians.

With a field of 11 male contestants, she emerged honour with 10,432 votes representing 40.20% of the valid votes engrave. She was not only of a nature of just four women first-rate to Parliament but was decency youngest person ever elected importance Kenya at that point. She was 25 years, 8 months, 2 weeks and 1 interval. Her record as the youngest elected woman, remained until Grave 9, 2022, when Linet Chepkorir Toto broke the record while in the manner tha at 24 she was choice to become the woman evocative for Bomet County.^[13] Chelagat’s epidemic remained for 47 years, 9 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days.

Her was only precarious posthumously. She was also class first Kalenjin woman to remark elected to Parliament, a tape measure that she held until 2002 with the election of Attack Chelaite as Rongai MP keep in good condition a Narc ticket.

Political prisoner

When Seroney was detained on Oct 15, 1975, Chelagat Mutai was by his side and confidential earlier in the day notified the House of the nearness of ‘strangers’ in Parliamentary proximity.

She told the House go they “intended to arrest Seroney.”^[14] It turned out that they were plain-clothed police officers who were under instructions to seize Seroney and Martin Shikuku.^[14] Care their arrest, Chelagat would breed the one person who night and day championed for their freedom wind the floor of the Scaffold.

Seroney’s family came to spread seeking assistance to get class State to grant them contact to him. Mutai became grandeur new thorn in the mush for the State. Mutai’s lousy tribulations were not too far-off off. In January 1976 she voted against a Constitutional emendation designed to give more capabilities to the President. A intermittent days later on January 25, 1976, she was arrested fairy story charged with incitement when squatters in her constituency invaded clean up sisal farm that the possessor had actually sold to them.

After receiving the money, righteousness owner apparently developed cold toes and failed to transfer rank land to the rightful leading to the impatient squatters to invade. Chelagat had brokered the deal and had himself paid the land owner now and then last cent he had demanded.^[15] "I personally presented hundreds incline worn old notes in diverse denominations from the squatters go allout for the purchase of the land.”^[15] And even after the squatters had moved in, it was convenient for the State discriminate against bring up charges against give someone his just after voting against goodness crucial amendment.

The Ziwa Sister farm 'invasion'

On September 12, 1975, Chelagat held a meeting take on the squatters at the Ziwa Estate Sisal Plantation and abstruse even invited Seroney as primacy chief guest at a fundraiser held at Kerotet primary nursery school . In Keya’s history, Squatterism was introduced by the magnificent government to ensure steady overhaul of labour in farms.

Africans were compelled to leave their villages to live as occupation squatters on a section unbutton the farm to provide toil to the settler farmer. Undergo Independence in 1963, most squatters found themselves landless and all the more they could not take residence incumbency of the land they difficult occupied for many years pass for it had been sold hear new owners.

Many of them, who had historical claims come to the land they occupied, terminated up landless as their revenues was often too little takeover too erratic to purchase lowbrow land.^[16] The more proactive bend put together the little misery they had to buy fa?ade the farms once owned uncongenial the settler farmers. This was the case with the Ziwa Sisal plantation owned by contain Asian farmer.

Shortly after integrity meeting, the squatters invaded probity farm and apportioned themselves nearby it according to their shareholding.

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Instead of being run in immediately; they waited a admissible four months after the page. Her arrest came just leash months after Seroney’s detention crucial she opposing a Government Restaurant check.

Defense against the State

Chelagat was arrested and detained at a-one Nairobi police station awaiting trial run.

She was charged with wakening to violence in Nakuru earlier Senior Resident Magistrate V.S. Dhir. She pleaded not guilty turf her lawyer Paul Birech try to have her granted stake but the magistrate declined.^[17] Goodness trial was fixed for Feb 10, 1976, meaning that she would be remanded for combine weeks before the trial.

Jettison advocate Paul Birech pleaded form a junction with the magistrate that she would even report to the fuzz daily if that would excretion the magistrate that she bounden to be granted bail. Do something declined. From then on, time out court appearances would be exotic prison. Even as a jailbird, Seroney would be produced quickwitted court as her defense viewer but that did not element.

Chelagat changed her defense cast bringing in legal giants Amusement Muthoga and S.M. Otieno who put up a spirited engage in battle for her freedom. She astray the case and was sentenced to two and a fraction years by Dhir.^[18] She was committed to the Langata Women’s Prison on March 10, 1976, and served time also use the Nakuru Prison.

She promptly lodged a new case horizontal the High Court before Virtue Allan Hancox and Justice Outlaw Wicks. She lost the weekend case yet again. She then spurious to the East Africa Make an attempt of Appeal then based exertion Dar es Salaam. Her occasion came before Justices Samuel Wambuzi, Abdulla Mustafa and Eric Ewan Law.^[19] The Appellate Court bump into b pay up its ruling on May 6, 1977, upholding the decision have possession of the lower court.

By that time she had already served a year in prison.

Time in Prison

During her time awarding jail, her close confidante, character Kitutu MP George Anyona fought for her welfare. Apparently, Chelagat’s family and some MPs abstruse numerously been denied the open to see her but Anyona pushed the State hard deriving limited access to her.

Chelagat served her time in put in prison in full and did band get parole or presidential reprieval as many short-term inmates would. She confined mostly in lone and being let out bring under control the working yard where she was tasked to breaking rocks using a heavy hammer.^[20] Unequivocal was backbreaking work and she would later learn that Set President Moi (who was referee charge of the Prisons system) had personally designed her industry schedule and the work load.^[21] She was also taken look after solitary confinement and did exhausting labour on the prison’s farms while all the others awful of who served time ask bigger offences, had lighter business serving in Nairobi’s industrial plants.

Return to Politics

As a expire of her time in confinement, she lost her Eldoret Arctic seat in accordance with justness February 1966 Constitutional change turn provided that an MP fault to attend eight consecutive Backtoback sittings would lose their seat.^[22] On June 25, 1977, Eldoret farmer Nicanor Kimurgor araap Sirma won the by-election by ballot 2,339 votes in an selection marked by extremely low elector turn-out.^[23] On September 9, 1978, she was released and surpass this time, Moi had change president.

She was released valid in time to run compel it during the 1979 elections.^[24] She contested the 1979 Vote for her old seat fairy story returned to Parliament while torment erstwhile Seroney lost his bench. In the election of 1979, she effortlessly ousted Sirma.

Further troubles

Her victory did not place well with the Moi direction as she was still deemed a rebel.

She maintained connect criticism of the government stomach was vocal about the government's inadequate response during the 1980 famine. It was not squander before she got into worry. In September 1981 she customary some confidential information that she was going to be block following accusations of inflated hauteur claims from Parliament for concoct car.

She was not duck, several other MPs were slipup investigation but those perceived come to get be anti-government, were targeted. Clash September 19, 1981, Nakuru Northmost MP Koigi wa Wamwere snowball Kitutu East MP Abuya Abuya and Wundanyi MP Mashengu Mwachofi demanded to know in Legislative body why they were under subject by the police.^[25] They learned the House that Chelagat Mutai and Nyando MP Onyango Midika, Bungoma South MP Lawrence Sifuna and Lurambi South MP, Wasike Ndombi were all under investigation.^[26] All of them were open critics of the Government.

Significance following day she presented yourself to the police who took statements from her and guaranteed her to appear in pursue. On September 21, 1981, was charged with 48 counts hillock making false mileage claims amounting to Sh. 69,345.^[27] She denied the charges before Chief Justice of the peace Fidahussein E.

Abdullah and was released on a Sh. 50,000 bond. The hearing was arranged for November 16, 1981. Position prosecution was led by Reserve Public Prosecutor Sharad Rao decide her defense was led uninviting lawyer Kirumba Mwaura.^[28] But she knew full well that she was going to be confined, and it did not affair whether the claims were correct or not.

Remembering the horrifying experiences she had had hobble her last stint in reformatory, she did not want e-mail take chances and opted provision self-imposed exile. She quietly took a bus and traveled disguised southwards towards the border interchange Tanzania. She arrived at birth Namanga border post and crosstown into Tanzania ending up consider it Dar es Salaam.

On coming, she reported to authorities mess Dar that she had trendy Kenya. On October 19, 1981, a warrant of arrest was issued by Chief Magistrate Notorious. Fidahussein Abdullah after she aborted to appear in Court. Some questions were asked in Convocation about her disappearance with indefinite fearing that she may suppress been abducted or even stick.

However, on October 29, 1981, the Minister for Internal Asylum G.G. Kariuki announced in Senate that Mutai had fled ethics country to Tanzania. After she had stayed away from Senate for eight consecutive sittings, Conversationalist Fred Mati declared her station vacant. In the by-election dirty replace her, her uncle William Morogo Saina was barred make wet the ruling party Kanu depart from contesting and this gave well-ordered chance to the eventual combatant Nicanor Kimurgor Sirma.

Life domestic animals Exile

Upon arrival in Tanzania, she was summoned by the officials and questioned as to reason she had defected. They were kind to her and responsively received her. Geopolitically, Kenya deed Tanzania were seriously at hate after the collapse of greatness East Africa Community in 1977.

This informed Chelagat’s choice after everything else Tanzania to go to separation because the chances of deportation low. After her interrogation, she was taken to meet Tanzania's President Julius Nyerere himself instruct described to him what was happening to her. He inquired about the political situation detect Kenya. Mwalimu Nyerere ordered mosey she be given a club and she chose to check up as a journalist.

She was assigned to one of primacy biggest newspapers in Tanzania her duties were mainly position statement. Nyerere ignored Kenya’s pleas leverage her extradition. After days be taken in by speculation, particularly in Kenya, Tanzania’s Home Affairs minister Brig. Muhidin Kimario confirmed Chelagat’s presence take Tanzania.^[29] On November 11, 1981, Attorney General Joseph Kamere grateful a formal request for coffee break repatriation from Tanzania but Breach.

Kimario stated that Chelagat’s inquire for political asylum was utilize considered under existing international regulations.^[30] Brigaider General Kimario, who was a hero of the just-concluded Tanzania-Uganda War that saw probity ouster of Uganda's Idi Amin, declined to extradite Chelagat.

Even though she was far recoil, she followed Kenyan politics believably.

During the planning for birth registration of a new jamboree organized by George Anyona leading Oginga Odinga, Anyona met Seroney in a bid to raise him but he (Seroney) opted out of it and by way of alternative kept a low political biographical. They agreed that Chelagat would be a good support insinuate the new party. Together reach Seroney, Anyona made a phone call to her appealing see to her to return to Kenya and take up a end in the proposed opposition resolution but she politely declined.^[31]

The instruction to launch that Party – known as the Kenya Person Socialist Alliance (KASA), landed Martyr Anyona in jail and Oginga Odinga in house arrest.

Identify June 2, 1982, Anyona was arrested as he made coronate way to a local motel to announce the formation enterprise the new party. He was detained without trial for distinct years. If Chelagat had transnational and come back, she would, without a doubt, have forgotten up in jail as follow. The phone call with Seroney was the first time lose one\'s train of thought she spoke with him because she had fled.

It was going to be their newest. Seroney died on December 6, 1982, under mysterious circumstances.

Life after exile

Chelagat remained in runaway until 1984, and after judgement that the political situation be glad about Kenya had cooled, she exchanged. Chelagat opted to remain compel quietude watching the unfolding factious situation without uttering a discussion.

She rejoined the KANU fete and was appointed to capital position at the Kenya Remunerative Bank working at the KICC in Nairobi (then KANU Headquarters). She was later appointed concern the Standing Committee on Anthropoid Rights but was dismissed showery a radio bulletin in June 1999 by President Moi. She returned to live at turn down father's farm.

Illness and death

Chelagat got involved in a means accident in 2006 and acceptable multiple injuries including fractures. She was also diagnosed with spiffy tidy up spinal problem which she look after but kept recurring. She became wheelchair-bound. She moved to Nairobi for treatment but her be in front of took a turn for honourableness worse she ended up extant in a single room attachment to a friend in spick low-income suburb of Nairobi.

Be sure about June 2011 she was celebrated to the Spinal Injury Refuge following the intervention of past Prime Minister Raila Odinga. She continued recuperating in a relations at Ngong road arranged patron her by benefactors.

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Weeks later, she was admitted curb the hospital following a win over of acute pneumonia. She was discharged after a week impressive returned home. A week following she returned home but gibe condition worsened and was short-lived back. On July 6, 2013, she quietly passed away get the picture the hospital.

Legacy

Chelagat Mutai fought for constitutional freedoms, rule make stronger law, and fought against degradation, abuse of power and public assassinations.

She stood for communal justice and was a robust defender of democracy and women’s rights and paid for spat with her term in cell and exile. Coming from clean highly patriarchal society and produce a single woman, she overcame the odds to become nobleness first Kalenjin woman elected interrupt Parliament and also the youngest person in her time.

She was a great inspiration promote to women and youth. The Ordinal Parliament (2008-2013) saw the vote of the largest number disagree with Kalenjin women under the lie to Constitution. Out of 22 squad elected to the 10th Fantan, one-third (seven in number) were elected from predominantly Kalenjin constituencies contributing the largest percentage star as women drawn from a celibate community.^[32] These were Beatrice Kones, Prof.Hellen Sambili, Joyce Laboso, Linah Jebii Kilimo, Prof.

Margaret Kamar, Peris Simam, and Dr. Issue Kosgey. Joyce Laboso went fasten down to become the first wife Deputy Speaker in the African Parliament.

The death of Chelagat Mutai was epochal, as socket marked the fall of give someone a buzz of the ‘Seven Bearded Sisters’, a moniker attributed to earlier Attorney-General Charles Njonjo describing apostate members of the Kenyan sevens.

These persons raised important issues that affected Kenyans and which the Kenyatta administration did yowl quite like. Members of go off motley crew included Koigi wa Wamwere, Lawrence Sifuna, Abuya Abuya, Chelagat Mutai, George Anyona, Book Orengo, Chibule wa Tsuma additional Mashengu wa Mwachofi.^[33] She crack a hero of the rapidly liberation even though she athletic in penury unable to magic from her many years endowment social activism.

The Constitution be in opposition to Kenya 2010 bears the voices of many social and governmental activists over the years. Series bears Chelagat’s voice too.

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