Mithika Linturi Biography: Age, Education, Career, First Wife, Son, Family, Impeachment, Wealth, Net Worth

Mithika Linturi Biography

Mithika Linturi is a Kenyan politician who is currently serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture. He has had a notable political career, having previously served as the senator for Meru County in the Senate of Kenya, elected in the 2017 Kenyan General election on a Jubilee Party ticket.

Before that, he was elected to represent the Igembe South Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya since the 2007 Kenyan parliamentary election, a position he retained until 2017.

Recently, Linturi has been in the news due to a controversy involving allegations of supplying farmers with substandard fertilizer under the government subsidy program. This has led to an impeachment motion against him, which was supported by a significant number of Members of the National Assembly.

Mithika Linturi Age

Mithika Linturi is 55 years old as of 2024.

Mithika Linturi Early Life and Educational Background

Mithika Linturi was born in 1969 in the serene environs of Igembe, South Meru County, Kenya. His early years were spent in Amwamba village, where he was raised under the guidance of his parents, Julia Mwikamba and the late Peter Linturi. His mother was a catechist in the Catholic Church, and his father was a member of the Parish Council.

Mithika Linturi began his academic journey at Amwamba Primary School, followed by secondary education at Igembe Boys Secondary School, now known as Christ The King Igembe School.

After completing his secondary education, he pursued higher learning with a Diploma in Marketing from the Kenya Institute of Marketing, a Certificate in Insurance from the College of Insurance, and a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) course at Meru Technical College.

Linturi’s academic path was marked by perseverance and resilience. In 2001, he ventured abroad to earn a Degree in Advanced Accounting from an Indian University. His academic pursuits continued at the University of Nairobi, where he faced challenges but ultimately succeeded in obtaining a Law degree.

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Mithika Linturi Career

Mithika Linturi’s career began in the insurance industry, where he worked as an agent for several firms. In 1999, he founded Arkchoice Insurance Brokers Company, which marked his first foray into entrepreneurship.

Linturi’s political ambitions were ignited early on, but his initial attempts at securing an electoral seat were met with challenges. He first ran for the Igembe South Parliamentary seat in 1997 on a Safina party ticket but was unsuccessful. He faced defeat again in 2002 when he ran on a KANU ticket.

In 2007, Linturi’s perseverance paid off when he was elected as the Member of Parliament for Igembe South on a KANU ticket. His political career continued to ascend as he defended his seat in 2013 on the TNA party ticket of retired president Uhuru Kenyatta and won.

Linturi’s success in the National Assembly was a stepping stone to higher political office. In 2017, he made a successful bid for the senatorial seat of Meru County on the Jubilee party ticket. His tenure as senator was marked by his advocacy for the people of Meru and his efforts to bring development to the region.

However, Linturi’s political trajectory took a turn during the 2022 general election when he ran for the gubernatorial seat of Meru County. Despite a vigorous campaign, he was defeated by Governor Kawira Mwangaza. This loss, while significant, did not mark the end of his political journey. Instead, it opened up a new chapter as he was appointed the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture in President William Ruto’s government.

Mithika Linturi Impeachment

Mithika Linturi faced an impeachment motion due to allegations of incompetence and mismanagement of resources, particularly concerning a scandal involving the supply of substandard fertilizer under the government subsidy program. The impeachment motion was tabled by Bumula MP Jack Wamboka and supported by a significant number of Members of the National Assembly, with 149 out of 188 MPs present voting in favor of the motion.

The controversy centered around accusations that Linturi’s ministry supplied farmers with fertilizer that did not meet the required standards set by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) summoned Linturi for questioning over his involvement in the scandal.

The 11-member select committee, chaired by Marsabit woman representative Naomi Waqo, found the allegations against Linturi to be unsubstantiated and ruled out the impeachment motion. This decision was met with skepticism by some Members of Parliament, who called for further investigation into both Linturi and the committee members for alleged impropriety.

Mithika Linturi Wife and Children

Mithika Linturi has had a complex personal life with multiple relationships. He was previously married to Mercy Kaimenyi, with whom he had two children. However, his marriage to Maryanne Kitanny was the subject of legal scrutiny, and a court ruled that they were not legally married under Kenyan law.

The court’s decision was based on the Marriage Act of 2014, which requires customary marriages to be registered, something that was not done in their case.

Mithika Linturi Net Worth

Mithika Linturi has an estimated net worth of Ksh 1.2 billion as of 2024.