Anne Mumbi Waiguru, EGH OGW, is the second and current Kirinyaga County governor. She is serving her second term as governor having been elected on August 9, 2022, in Kenya’s general elections. Anne was elected for her first term of governorship in August 2017. Additionally, she was elected as the chairperson of the council of Governors.
She is among the first three elected women governors in Kenya. The other two are Charity Ngilu of Kitui County and the late Lorna Laboso of Bomet County.
Waiguru is an accomplished civil servant who rose through the civil service ranks to become a governor. However, her service in the civil service has been tainted with corruption allegations. But then who is Anne Waiguru?
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Quick facts about Anne Waiguru
- Year of Birth: 1971
- Place of birth: Gichugu, Kirinyaga County
- Official name: Anne Mumbi Waiguru
- Popular name: Anne Waiguru
- Mother: Mary Njeri
- Father: Uknown
- Martial status: Married to Kamotho Waiganjo
- Children: Three
- Occupation/profession: Current governor, Kirinyaga County
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The early life and age of Anne Waiguru
In Gichugu village on April 16, 1971, a baby girl was born, Anne Mumbi. Mumbi is a daughter to Mary Njeri. Her father was a cop but fine details or the name of her father is not known. The father passed on when Anne was 18 years old.
Anne Mumbi has three siblings; two sisters and a brother.
Anne Mumbi Waiguru’s Education
Governor Anne Waiguru holds a master’s degree in Economic Policy from the University of Nairobi and a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Egerton University.
She got her education foundation at Nairobi River Primary School located in Buruburu. Waiguru then proceeded to Precious Blood Girls, Riruta and was among the top students nationally. Thereafter Anne joined A-level at Moi Forces Academy, Nairobi.
The career journey of Waiguru
Anne Waiguru is an accomplished public servant with more than 15 years of experience in governance, devolution, economics and public policy. Her career journey started as an intern at Transparency International as a research assistant. While in this role she worked closely with the National Council of NGOs and the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC). She later moved to work for Kenya Leadership Institute.
Additionally, she joined the public service as a consultant to provide technical assistance to the Public Service Reform Secretariat. Her work earned her a job as the Head of Governance and the Economic Stimulus Programme at the National Treasury.
She was later promoted to head the directorate of Integrated Financial Management and Information System (IFMIS), and Head of Governance at the National Treasury. She also served briefly as a senior public sector manager/assistant vice president, at Citi-group.
Governor Waiguru also served as the Alternate to the Permanent Secretary/Treasury (PS/T) in the Public Procurement oversight Authority Advisory Board, and as the alternate to the PS/T on the Women Enterprise Fund Board. On a voluntary basis, she served as an associate board member of a HIV/AIDs home in Kenya and for the Parliamentary Network on the World Bank (PNoWB) East African Chapter.
After President Uhuru Kenyatta won in 2013, Anne Waiguru was appointed as cabinet secretary, Ministry of Devolution. She served in this docket until 2016 when she resigned after massive corruption allegations.
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Anne Mumbi Waiguru’s achievements
Waiguru’s achievements can not be underestimated. The late president Mwai Kibaki honored her with an Order Grand Warrior (OGW) title due to her exemplary performance at the Information System and Integrated Financial Management.
Anne Mumbi also achieved to set up Huduma Centres, which offer easy and efficient access to government services. Additionally, she helped establish a 30% public procurement rule. The rule gives at least 30 percent of all supply contracts of the government to the youth, persons with disability and women.
Still while at the Devolution docket she established the UWEZO fund. She also restructured the National youth service (NYS) to attract more than 2,000 recruits per intake.
Anne Waiguru corruption allegations
While at the helm of a cabinet secretary, the Ministry of Devolution and Planning KSh. 1.4 billion was allegedly stolen under National Youth Service Programme. In 2015, the NYS scandal attracted calls for her resignation and take responsibility for the lost billions. In 2016 she resign and took a break from the public limelight.
However, there were speculations that the former devolution CS was eyeing a gubernatorial seat of Nairobi City. Were the speculations right?
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Anne Waiguru politics and becoming Kirinyaga Governor
The speculations were right but she vied for the gubernatorial seat in her home county, Kirinyaga. In the 2017 general elections, Anne Mumbi Waiguru vied for Kirinyaga County gubernatorial seat on a Jubilee party ticket against a veteran politician, Martha Karua.
She won the seat and became among the only three women to have won the gubernatorial race. The other two were Charity Ngilu of Kitui County and the late Lorna Laboso of Bomet County. Waiguru also became the first woman as elected Vice Chair of the Council of Governors in Kenya.
On August 9, 2022, general election Waiguru defended her gubernatorial seat using a UDA party ticket. She won and is serving a second term.
As a governor, Waiguru has initiated promising initiatives such as Wezesha Kirinyaga Fund and the Apparel factory. The initiatives have empowered Kirinyaga residents by creating direct and indirect jobs.
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Anne Waiguru Net worth
As a governor, Waiguru earns a decent salary. She declared her worth to be KSh 160 million which is inclusive of KSh 80 million in liabilities.
Anne Waiguru’s husband/boyfriend
The accomplished career woman and a politician was once married to Tony Waiguru Njuguna. The two tired knots according to Kikuyu tradition in the 1990s. However, they divorced in a similar manner (Kikuyu traditions) in 2003. It is worth noting that she retained he ex-husband’s name, Waiguru.
The two parted ways and Anne Mumbi remarried a city lawyer, Kamotho Waiganjo on July 13, 2019. Their union was celebrated in a colorful traditional wedding held at Kiamungumo Primary School, Kirinyaga County.
Coincidentally, Kamotho also divorced her first wife Lorna Seneiya.
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Anne Mumbi Waiguru’s children
Besides being a governor, Anne Waiguru has three children ( Ian, Don, and Wabu) from her first marriage.
