My life as the youngest MP in Parliament

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By JULIUS SIGEI jsigei@ke.nationmedia.com JEREMIAH KIPLANG’AT jkiplangat@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Friday, July 12   2013 at  23:30

He has “employed” his former deputy vice-chancellor and raised more than Sh100 million in cash and kind towards the development of his constituency.

Such is the dramatic transformation of Boniface Kinoti Gatobu, the youngest Member of the National Assembly, who barely five months ago, was teaching at a primary school for Sh200 a day.

The 25-year-old hit national headlines on March 5 when he beat more experienced and financially-endowed competitors to win the Buuri Constituency seat in Meru.

As an Independent candidate, he was also up against formidable party machinery of The National Alliance and the Alliance party of Kenya-popular political vehicles of choice in the Mount Kenya region. The Saturday Nationsought to know how he was faring in his new life.

“Life has got more expensive now, especially with the travelling which I have to do every weekend. With my Probox I used to spend at most Sh4, 000 to go to Meru and back. Now it is Sh20, 000 per trip with the Prado,” he told us at the lounge of Parliament Buildings on Thursday. MPs, however, claim mileage allowances (Sh109 per kilometre) for their travels to the constituency.

His social life has also suffered as he can no longer dance the way he used to. “Even if I were to go to my usual hang-outs, I am not as free as before and I dance only as an MP — and not an ordinary person like I used to.”

The hectic life of an ambitious MP has also forced Mr Gatobu to push to December his marriage with his long-time fiancée Caroline Nkirote, who resigned her cleaning job last September to help with the campaigns. She is now a student at the University of Nairobi.

Mr Gatobu’s entrance into the House has not been rosy. “I was a bit nervous at first. It was intimidating to be with some of the most experienced members of the past Parliaments,” said Mr Gatobu, who is also the chairman of Mount Kenya East Parliamentary group, an association bringing together MPs, Women Representatives and Senators from Meru, Embu and Tharaka Nithi counties.

Audacious man

His small frame has not helped matters as he was nearly kicked out of the County Commissioner’s office in Meru in his early days in Parliament.

“You see, I was on a familiarisation tour of the constituency in late March, and I love wearing vitenge (multi-coloured robes). So the Commissioner wondered who this audacious young man confidently getting into his office was. Well, he later apologised,” he said, chuckling.

But the real import of his new status came early this month when he came face-to-face with his former deputy vice-chancellor in Academic Affairs at the University Prof Jacob Kaimenyi.

This time round, the shoe was on the other foot and it was Prof Kameinyi who was seeking the job of Education Cabinet secretary. Mr Gatobu is a member of the powerful Committee on Appointments that is involved with vetting. “It is one of those things you never think it will happen.’’