Amason Kingi is the speaker of the senate and the fourth most powerful man in the country – constitutionally.
He was also the first governor of Kilifi County, a position he held for a decade.
This is his journey as told by WoK:
Early Life
Amason Jeffah Kingi was born in the early 1970s in Kamale village, Magarini Constituency, Kilifi County. He hails from the minority Giriama community.
His father was a farmer who also sold water for sustenance.
He attended Kamale primary school but transferred to Magarini primary school, where he sat for his KCPE.
According to his father, Kingi Mwaruwa, Amason’s education was constantly affected by raids from Shifta bandits who have harassed Kilifi residents since pre-colonial times.
“The Shiftas robbed our money, including our school fees. We also had no food,” said Mr. Mwaruwa.
Despite these problems, Amason proceeded to Alliance Boys’ High School, where he sat for his KCSE.
He was then admitted to the University of Nairobi to study law in 1998. Upon graduation, he was involved in an accident that shattered his legs.
Under his father’s nursing, he recovered and got a job as Kilifi district coordinator for the Constitution of Kenya Reform Commission.
Political Career
In 2007, Kingi’s political career ignited when he outwitted Harrison Kombe to be elected as Magarini constituency MP under the ODM party.
His growing influence in the region was acknowledged by Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga, who appointed him as minister for the East African Community under the grand coalition government.
Kingi also served as minister for fisheries development between 2010 and 2013.
In 2013, he made history by becoming the first governor of Kilifi County under the devolved constitution. He retained his seat in 2017 despite stiff competition.
In 2021, Kingi founded his party, the Pamoja Africa Alliance Party, to free the coast region from the clutches of ODM.
He aligned his party with the Azimio coalition in light of the 2022 elections but later switched allegiance to the Kenya Kwanza alliance in 2022.
Addressing the media in Karen, he attributed his loyalty shift to the secrecy and mistrust surrounding Azimio’s deals, especially concerning the political division of the coast region.
As gratitude for his support, Kingi received overwhelming majority support to become the fourth speaker of the senate. His candidature as speaker was fronted by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
But things have not been smooth sailing for him, despite his success. As speaker, he has repeatedly been criticized by senators, mostly from the minority side, for the mishandling of senate matters.
The greatest bane of contention has been a reduction in the Parliamentary Service Commission PSC budget allocated to senate committees.
He has also been accused of being the puppet of National Assembly speaker Moses Wetangula, with some members calling for his resignation.
Party Animal
Kingi has long been reported as an ardent party animal who often drives himself to parties with close friends.
According to an article by Nairobi News, his favorite cubs are Galileo, Skyluxx, Soho’s, and Mercury lounges in Nairobi. VIP spots are often reserved for him in these places.
Net Worth
Details of Amason Kingi’s net worth are not within the public domain. However, during his tenure as governor, he bought a sh 130 million palatial house in Nyali that prompted public outcry.
The mansion comprised a well-landscaped compound, an electric fence, a swimming pool, and other recreational facilities.
He earns an average monthly salary of sh 1, 155,000 as speaker of the senate.
