Charles Changwony Murgor: Administrator and Eldoret South MP

Compiled by William Kiptoo

First shared in The Wonders of Sergoit Hills Facebook group on 2 December 2023.

Charles Changwony Murgor served Kenya through the last years of colonial rule and the first decades of independence, first as an administrator and later as Member of Parliament for Eldoret South.

An Administrator

Murgor began his career as an Assistant District Officer in Nandi in 1952. In 1956 he served as Assistant District Officer in Baringo. In 1961 he was appointed Assistant Registrar of Lands, and in 1963 he became Provincial African Courts Officer at the Coast. In 1965 he was promoted to Senior District Commissioner, and two years later he was appointed Provincial Commissioner of Nyanza.

In July 1969, as Provincial Commissioner, he was given the solemn duty of escorting the body of Tom Mboya to Rusinga Island for burial, one of the most painful moments in Kenya's early history. He retired from the provincial administration that same year, and the family settled in Eldoret.

Member of Parliament

Murgor was elected Member of Parliament for Eldoret South in 1969 and re-elected in 1974 and 1979. During this time he also served as Assistant Minister for Livestock Development.

His son, Philip Murgor, later became a well known lawyer and Director of Public Prosecutions.

Sources: this profile is compiled from published records of Charles Murgor's career in the provincial administration and in Parliament, and from press reports of the period.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The History of the Reformed Church of East Africa (RCEA) and Its Ties with the South African Dutch Reformed Church (DRC)

From the history of the Reformed Church of East Africa In the early 1900s, some people from the Boer republics in South Africa moved to Eastern Africa after the Anglo-Boer War. They didn't want to live under British rule, so they settled in Kenya. These migrant farmers were part of the Reformed Churches in South Africa. They formed their own congregation called Vergenoeg in Eldoret, Kenya. The land there was fertile and perfect for farming. At that time, Kenya was still a German colony called German East Africa, but it would soon become a British colony after World War I.  Rev. M. P. Loubser became the first minister of the congregation. He, along with other farmers, established a ministry among the farmworkers. In 1944, the congregation decided to call its first full-time missionary. Rev. Loubser had left money in his will specifically for mission work, which made this possible. They bought a school building called Broederstroom, which is now known as Plateau, to be used as a miss...
Read more

Ken-Knit (Kenya) Ltd.

Image
By William Kiptoo Ken-Knit (Kenya) Ltd. is a textile manufacturing company located in Eldoret, Kenya. It was founded in 1966 by three brothers - Gulabchand Shah, Somchand Shah, and Keshavlal Shah. With an initial capital of Sh50,000, the company started small with just one knitting machine producing hand-knitting yarn. However, over time, they expanded into spinning, blankets, knitwear, and other products. Initially focusing on hand-knitting yarn, Ken-Knit soon diversified into spinning units, blanket departments, and knitwear. They have grown into a major textile manufacturer in East Africa, known for their quality knitwear. In the late 1970s, they introduced a Composite spinning and dyeing plant for various types of yarn. Ken-Knit has kept up with modern technology, investing in machinery to ensure top quality and durability in their products. Ken-Knit offers a wide range of products, including sweaters, blankets, Maasai shukas, pillows, and kikois. They are also a leading manufactur...
Read more

Eldoret Town Estates

(Adopted from The Standard, Jan, 26, 2022) Eldoret town in Uasin Gishu is a rapidly growing urban center with a population of nearly half a million according to the 2019 national census. It is the sixth most populated town in Kenya after Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, and Ruiru. Eldoret is known for having some of the oldest estates, established as people migrated to urban areas in search of jobs starting in the 1960s. These estates have unique names based on the social status and race of the residents. Some estates existed even before independence, with Africans living in estates like Kidiwa, Macharia, Kilimani, Majengo, and Kapsuswo near the Kipchoge Keino Stadium. Somalis lived in Kampi Somali, Indians in Eldoret West, and whites in Elgon View and Kapsoya estates. Elgon View estate was associated with affluent individuals such as politicians, athletes, civil servants, and businessmen. The estate was home to whites, government officials, and colonial administrators. After independ...
Read more