Mutava Musyimi

Mutava Musyimi (born 1952) is a Kenyan politician. He belongs to the Party of National Unity and was elected to represent the Gachoka Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya since the Kenyan parliamentary election, 2007.

Mutava Musyimi was born in 1952 to Tabitha Kisilu and veteran politician Stephen Kisilu (both deceased) in Riakanau village, Embu District. He is the third born of eight children. He grew up in a Christian home, and attended Riakanau Primary School from 1959-1965. He later joined the prestigious Kangaru School, Embu in 1969. Here Mutava was the secretary of the Christian Union which represented the School in Church affairs, Music, Drama and supported the local Sunday Schools by providing teachers and organising music competitions. He regularly urged especially new joiners at the School to pray for his success at the 'O' level exams which he passed and proceeded to the Schools 'A' Levels. He attended the University of Nairobi (Kenyatta Campus- which later became Kenyatta University) in 1972 to pursue a Bachelor of Education degree. It was during this time that he felt the call to become a man of the cloth. After much thought, prayer and consulting, he decided to follow this route, though it took him down a different path. He later joined University of London for a Bachelor of Divinity degree and thereafter the Trinity Divinity School, Illinois for a Master of Theology degree. Upon returning to Kenya, he joined the Nairobi Baptist Church as a Pastor from 1979- 1993. He married his wife Nyambura Musyimi on February 4, 1984 and later had two children; a daughter, Mueni-Nyokabi (25), a lawyer and theology teacher and a son, Syano (23) a PhD candidate.

It was during his tenure at Nairobi Baptist Church that he came to the limelight as he spoke openly against the excesses of the Moi era. He later said, '...it is at Nairobi Baptist Church I started to see the state and individuals…and the pulpit as a powerful place for speaking out against injustice...'. He joined the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) as the Secretary General and served until 2007. Under his leadership, NCCK was very vocal on human rights issues, democracy and constitutionalism. Introspectively, NCCK made huge leaps in achieving its mandate including; financial stability and sustainability, advocacy and strengthening of its systems and priorities. He led the interfaith Ufungamano Initiative that was instrumental in shaping and achieving Kenya’s new Constitution.

...
Wikipedia