Born in a remote part of Kitui County, Charles Nguna was nurtured for the majority of his life by his grandmother after his parents, who had received scholarships, traveled to Greece.
Despite living in poverty, he remained optimistic that they would overcome that period in their lives.
“We were quite poor. During my adolescence, I worked as a shamba boy, picking weeds on people’s fields and digging wells for a minimal income. A day’s work in the hot sun would pay me Ksh 200,” he explained.
Nguna also indicated that he would make sisal ropes to sell at the market, which he had learned from his grandmother.
Following the completion of his secondary education in 2000, he enrolled in a study in International Business Administration at USIU, which was financed by his parents, who had begun earning money while working from Greece.
After graduating from university, Nguna started working as a project manager for a real estate company.
He saw chances and invested in numerous properties in Nairobi.
In 2007, Nguna was given the opportunity to study in the United Kingdom and earned a Master’s degree in economics from the University of Middlesex.
“While in the UK, I’d work part-time jobs and even went ahead and did my second Masters in Political Science at the London School of Business,” he said.
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After graduation in 2010, Nguna tried to find work, but the economy was not in good shape, so he returned to Kenya.
He worked in a few prominent companies in the country before deciding to enter politics in 2016.
“I realised the incumbent MP was underperforming, and the youth of Mwingi West pushed me to run. I also used to handle youth projects like the Nguna Cup while I was still in university,” he stated.
Nguna joined the Wiper party and won the seat. The delight of being an MP was swiftly overshadowed by the disadvantages of being an elected leader.
“My financial situation was stable before I entered politics, but it has deteriorated, although I am not in dire straits. I have to share my revenue with my constituents and fund some projects out of my own pocket,” he stated.
Nguna went on to say that his personal life has been severely impacted as a result of making enemies and being trolled online.
Nguna has, nevertheless, been able to fight for projects that benefit his constituents, including as roads, classroom construction, youth and women empowerment initiatives and tree planting campaigns.
“Water being a major issue in my constituency, I have constructed two earth dams from my salary together with a local NGO for the people of Mwingi West,” he said.
Nguna also has an outstanding sporting background, having won 12 gold medals at the EAC Inter-Parliamentary Games EALA games.
