From burning charcoal to Parliament: Meet Kuresoi North MP-elect Alfred Mutai who trounced deputy speaker Moses Cheboi

Mutai, who was vying on a UDA Party ticket, garnered 25,365 votes, trouncing his closest competitor, former National Assembly Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi who was hoping to retain the seat. Cheboi got 20,395 votes.

Alfred Mutai's story is one of grass to grace. Born in Kaplong, Bomet County, Mutai, was forced to venture into different trades including illegally burning charcoal to survive after he lost his parents in 2001 while in Form One.

According to Mutai, a fourth-born among nine children, he had to juggle between working as a waiter and illegally burning charcoal in Kuresoi forest to raise school fees.

“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 Nation in a previous interview.

He recalls an incident where he was arrested and charged in a Molo court after forest rangers acting on a tip-off raided his home after receiving information that he had harvested over 1,000 tree logs.

He was remanded at Nakuru GK Prison after failing to raise bond but was later released to serve 6-months probation after pleading guilty.

“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," explained Mutai in the interview.

Following his election victory, Mutai thanked God for the win saying "I want to tell everyone out there that there is God and what He has planned for you, no one can change."

"We want to transform this country's economy and bring down the cost of living which has left many Kenyans struggling to survive," he said adding that his main agenda would be addressing unemployment and upgrading infrastructure for the people of Kuresoi North.

Alfred Mutai: From charcoal burner to Kuresoi North MP-elect ‘Hustler Wa Kutosha’

Mutai, the former Sirikwa Ward MCA, garnered 25,365 beating his closest competitor former Nat'l Assembly Deputy Speaker Moses Cheboi who got 20, 395#KenyaDecides2022 #KenyasChoice2022 pic.twitter.com/5DW8oMm2dd— Citizen TV Kenya (@citizentvkenya) August 11, 2022