In Mutula’s world, nothing was impossible

Former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka (left), former Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Mr Johnstone Muthama, the Machakos Senator, at the home of the late Makueni Senator Mutula Kilonzo on Saturday. Photo/JENNIFER MUIRURI  NATION MEDIA GROUP

By BOB ODALO bodalo@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Saturday, April 27   2013 at  23:30

IN SUMMARY

• Disciplined work ethic behind successful legal and political career
• Former VP Kalonzo Musyoka breaks down on receiving news of friend’s death at funeral ceremony

In life, Senator Mutula Kilonzo was variously described as flamboyant, rich, proud and even arrogant.

But for those who had the chance to relate closely with Mr Kilonzo he was a man who believed in himself and that nothing was impossible.

He kept time and a disciplined work ethic, the driving force of his successful legal and political career.

Mutula Kilonzo was a self-made man. Mr Kilonzo was raised by his humble parents and he strived to retain an aura of village lifestyle amid opulence.

His house in which he died was designed like a simple hut and was grass-thatched. In the house are paintings of the village home he grew up in, a firm connection to his roots.

As young man trying to launch a career Mr Kilonzo was never employed.

When he left the Kenya School of Law in 1972,among  his classmates were his cousin Justice Philip Waki and Justice Riaga Omollo.

Judge Waki opted for employment and Mr Kilonzo chose to go into private practice, setting up his first law firm at a building opposite the Jeevanji Gardens in Nairobi.

Mr Kilonzo believed in having his peace when the situation demanded and weekends were his days off.

When he served as a Cabinet minister he always made sure that his functions, official or private, rarely conflicted with his weekends.

His weekends often began with a drive to his Kwa Kyelu ranch on Friday afternoons.

“When he was in government he would come with his official driver and bodyguard but would then dismiss them and stay alone in the ranch until Monday morning when he would drive back to the city,” recalls one of his worker.

That Mr Kilonzo was rich was not in doubt.

He bought one of the farms that belonged to the late president Mzee jomo Kenyatta in Nakuru county.

He has homes at the Coast, Mbooni, and Machakos. The animals on his ranch include lions and ostriches.

On his way to becoming the Makueni Senator, Mr Kilonzo first beat Mr Gideon Ndambuki to the Wiper Democratic Movement ticket before defeating John Harun Mwau in the March 4 General Election.

While campaigning for the seat Mr Kilonzo said that if elected senator he would make sure that his first motion would be to call for the impeachment of the Jubilee presidential candidate Uhuru Kenyatta and his running mate William Ruto if they were to be elected President and Deputy President respectively.

“Uhuru and Ruto are facing serious crimes against humanity at the ICC, if by any chance they take over the country’s leadership I will be the first Senator if elected to call for a motion impeaching them,” said Mr Kilonzo at a campaign rally in Emali township in February.Meanwhile former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka on Saturday broke down and wept in public after breaking the news of the death of the Makueni Senator.

Mr Musyoka was attending a funeral ceremony of a relative in his rural home area of Tseikuru in Mwingi North constituency.

The ceremony was thrown into wailing after he was overcome by grief while addressing the mourners.

Shocked mourners joined in wailing as their immediate former MP was helped out of the podium by National Assembly minority leader Francis Nyenze and Wiper MPs Joe Mutambu (Mwingi Central), John Munuve (Mwingi north) and Patrick Makau (Mavoko)
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