Kenyan politician Dr. Julius Makau Malombe, EGH, was elected governor of Kitui County for the first time in 2017. He was elected on the platform of the Wiper Democratic Movement-Kenya (WDM-K), which he had won with 163,904 votes in the 2013 elections. He ran on the Wiper ticket in the 2017 general election and lost to Charity Ngilu, finishing third behind former senator David Musila. However, on August 9, 2022, he regained the seat and won, defeating Jonathan Mueke with 10,639 votes and former senator David Musila with 198,004 votes.
He is recognized for having contributed significantly to the development of the area as Kitui’s first governor. President William Ruto presented Dr. Malombe with the Elder of the Golden Heart honor on December 12, 2022.
EDUCATION
Dr. Malombe began his studies at Matinyani Primary School before moving on to Matinyani Secondary School to complete his O’ Levels. He went on to enroll at the University of Nairobi to study a bachelor’s in economics. He completed his masters and PhD from Birmingham University, UK.
POLITICAL HISTORY
Hon.Dr.Malombe joined politics in 2012 upon being nominated as the Kitui gubernatorial candidate by the Wiper Democratic Movement Kenya (WDM-K). He successfully campaigned and was duly elected as the first governor of Kitui County after the 4 March Elections by garnering 163,904 votes defeating Julius Kiema Kilonzo of NARC who had 85,723 votes and Philip Nzamba Kitonga of National Labour Party with 24,574 votes.
He was unsuccessfully in defending his seat in the 2017 elections losing to Charity Ngilu.
In 2019 Dr.Malombe was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta as the Chairperson of Kenya Water Towers Agency for a period of 3 years in a gazette notice 3 May 2019.
Hon Dr. Malombe was given a direct nomination by Wiper Democratic Movement Kenya(WDM-K) which was contested in court by Julius Kiema Kilonzo. The court ruled for nominations to be held by Wiper party which Dr. Malombe won and thereafter contested the gubernatorial elections and was duly elected as the 3rd Governor of Kitui after garnering 198,004 votes.
AWARDS
On 12 December 2022, Dr.Malombe was awarded the Elder of The Golden Heart by President William Ruto.
