Ling Kituyi is the beautiful and accomplished wife to controversy ridden Kenyan politician Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi who has declared his interest to run for presidency come 2022.
While most Kenyans would simply see her as the politician’s wife, she is more than that. Not only does she hold a prestigious job in Switzerland but she is also a brave woman who played a role in Kenya’s fight for multi party democracy including helping Raila Odinga escape from a manhunt from the State apparatus.
Family
Ling hails from Norway and is married to Mukhisa Kituyi. The couple were blessed with four children but unfortunately the eldest died at the age of thirty. Sitati Kituyi is the co-founder of African Stock photography. The second born named Laila Mayilila is a master in public health policy and pursued a psychology degree. The last born is Thor Masalule Kituyi is a graduate of mechanical engineering.
Career
Dr. Ling Merete Kituyi is currently a senior United Nations official based in Geneva, Switzerland. She is the head of staff and well being from 2015 to date.
Before getting the UN job, she worked at the World Health Organization (WHO) as the foreign medical team coordinator for Ebola response in Liberia in 2014. She assisted organizations and member states build capacity and strengthen health systems by coordinating the deployment of quality assured medical teams in emergencies.
Between 2002 and 2014, she worked as chief medical officer with the United Nations.
Also Read: Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi Biography, Age, Education, Career, Marriage And Alleged Extramarital Affairs
Freedom fighter
During the KANU regime, a select few vocal politicians and young men protested against the excesses of the government. This led to tribal clashes that saw many displaced, tortured and seeking asylum for fear of their lives. According to former Sirisia Member of Parliament John Munyasia, Ling played a very vital role during this period.
“Ling established the Independent Medical and Legal Unit (IMLU) to offer treatment and legal aid to victims. She set up medical camp to offer treatments and psychological counseling for trauma in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia and eventually spread them to Nyanza and North Rift and other parts of Western Kenya,” Munyala said.
In the biography written by Nigerian author Babafemi Badejo titled Raila: An Enigma in Kenyan politics details how Ling helped ODM chief escape a dragnet set up by the dreaded special branch. As a special branch officers were deployed to look for Raila, he was helped to stay under the radar by Ling for a few weeks until he managed to find his way to Uganda. At first, he tried to seek aid from the US embassy but they declined to host him as they did not want to antagonize the government further. It was Ling who helped him flee to the embassy without being noticed by the police. According to the biography, she changed his beard, fixed him glasses and a wig and made him sit at the back of the car.
The fierce woman also used her diplomatic relations to assist many others who were fighting for democracy to escape and seek asylum in different parts of the world. Wanyiri Kihoro, Kiraitu Murungi and Koigi Wa Wamwere were among those she helped.
A former Runyenjes member of parliament (Njeru Kathangu) also explained how she would fundraise as part of efforts by IMLU to help those who had been tortured at Nyayo house and other detention places.
Cheating Allegations
Reports of Dr Mukhisa Kituyi cheating on his wife has dominated social media banter. His once respectable persona has been replaced by a stain that will take monumental effort to clean. His wife Ling has not said a word in public regarding her husband battering his alleged clandestine lover. Photos and videos of a man resembling Dr Mukhisa have been released on social media platforms and this is the kind of publicity can easily break a marriage.