Alfred Mutai: Former Charcoal Burner Becomes Kuresoi North MP

Former Sirikwa Ward MCA Alfred Mutai received 25,365 votes, defeating Moses Cheboi, a former deputy speaker of the National Assembly, who received 20,395 votes.

Cheboi was followed by Joel Ayeni (2,435) and Joyce Chepkemoi (567).

The returning officer announced Mutai as the winner of the Kuresoi North parliamentary seat.

Mutai, whose political star appears to be rising, was vying on William Ruto’s UDA party.

Read: Alfred Mutai: MCA Who Trounced Kuresoi North MP Cheboi for UDA Ticket

After winning, Mutai admitted that he was previously burning charcoal in the forest.

“Once upon a time I used to burn charcoal in the forest; however, now we will lead this nation pushing from where others left,” he said.

“As we know the current economic situation is not good so we want to save our economy.”

Mutai thanked his supporters for electing him as he promised to put their interests first, saying that education, roads and a lower cost of living will be his priorities once he assumes office.

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“It has not been an easy journey since we started vote-hunting. The competition was tough, but we conducted our campaigns well and peacefully. The electorate voted for me because of my manifesto,” he said.

Mutai stated in a previous interview with Nation that he turned to several jobs in order to survive after losing his parents when he was a young child.

“Losing a parent at a young age was not easy. It forced me to work at a tender age to join hands with my elder siblings to support the others and also so that I (could earn) money for my school fees, but luckily I completed my studies after hustling all through,” he told the daily.

Mutai had been the MCA for Sirikwa Ward since 2017. In April 2022, he entered the parliamentary election on the UDA ticket.

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He has also revealed in a previous interview that forest officers invaded his home after learning that he had cut more over 1,000 tree trunks, leading to his detention and subsequent charge in a Molo court.

He was held at Nakuru GK Prison after failing to post bond but was eventually freed to complete a six-month probationary period.

“I knew the business was illegal but I had no alternative. I needed to go to school myself and my siblings were also studying, but I thank the magistrate for hearing me out during mitigation before sentencing.”