Former Meru Governor and veteran lawyer Kiraitu Murungi is set to receive an honorary degree from Laikipia University.
In a notice dated Tuesday, December 2, 2025, the institution announced that the former governor will be conferred with the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (D.H.L.) during its 13th Graduation Ceremony, scheduled for Thursday, December 11, 2025.
“Laikipia University is pleased to announce that it will confer the Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (D.H.L.), Honoris Causa, upon Hon. Kiraitu Murungi, E.G.H., during its 13th Graduation Ceremony to be held on Thursday, December 11, 2025, at the University’s Main Campus in Nyahururu, Laikipia County,” read the notice.
Former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi to Be Honored With an Honorary Degree
According to Laikipia University, the honorary degree will recognize Murungi’s exceptional contribution to national leadership, justice, human rights advocacy, cultural advancement, and community empowerment.
Additionally, the university stated that for over four decades, he has demonstrated exemplary dedication to public service, reform, and human development in Kenya
Moreover, his visionary leadership in the Ministries of Justice and Energy yielded landmark reforms in governance, ethics, and infrastructure development, earning him honors.
Also Read: Laikipia University: Courses Offered, Fees, Location and Campuses
As Governor of Meru County, he spearheaded the transformative “Making Meru Great” agenda, empowering youth and women and promoting education, culture, and health, which earned him the prestigious award.
Further, the institution stated that Kiraitu Murungi’s fervor for human well-being and happiness inspired the establishment of the Happiness Resource Centre, while his commitment to cultural preservation led to the founding of the Kimeru Institute, both of which advance his philosophy of holistic human progress.
About the Former Governor
Kiraitu Murungi is an accomplished legal scholar. He holds an LLB and LLM from the University of Nairobi, as well as an LLM from Harvard University.
He has served Kenya in various capacities, including as an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya, a lecturer, a Member of Parliament for South Imenti, a Cabinet Minister, a Senator, and a Governor of Meru County.
He is also the former Governor of Meru County, serving from 2017 to 2022 before losing to Kawira Mwangaza. The defeat was significant, as he had not lost an election in the previous 30 years.
Beyond politics, he is the author of Beyond Politics and recently published a Happiness Journal through the Happiness Resource Centre, where he serves as the Chief Happiness Officer.
Kiraitu Murungi began his career as a law lecturer at the Kenya School of Law and as an Advocate of the High Court for several years. He was also a human rights lawyer and civil society leader, playing a pioneering role in the struggle for human rights and multi-party democracy in the 1990s.
Also Read: Kiraitu Lands New Job Days After Losing Meru Governorship
His political career began in 1992 when he was elected Member of Parliament for South Imenti Constituency, a position he held for over 20 years before becoming Governor of Meru County in 2017.
From 2005 to 2012, he served as Minister of Energy, overseeing electricity, petroleum, and renewable energy. During that period, he expanded rural electricity access, accelerated the development of geothermal energy, and opened oil exploration to international oil companies, which led to the discovery of oil in Turkana in 2012.
Additionally, he served as the Secretary-General of the Party of National Unity (PNU), the ruling coalition from 2008 to 2012.
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