Isaac Mwaura

Early life

Mwaura was born in Kiambu County in 1982, and was raised by his mother after his father disowned him due to albinism. But that was just the beginning. Mwaura and his mother would have to contend with a lot of negative assertions and his mother was even accused of being unfaithful for having a different child. Interestingly, Mwaura did well in class and horned his leadership skills while still in primary school. But even in his teenage life, Mwaura not only stood out because of his physical condition, but also for his leadership skills. It was in high school that his interest in politics was hatched and he began to take keen interest in the politics of the 1990s, drawing inspiration from political big wigs James Orengo, Gitobu Imanyara and Paul Muite among others. After high school, he discovered most young people were not born again. He facilitated a lot of mentorship activities for them to help them get a glimpse of hope and make a living. He is of the Kikuyu people.

Education

Disability

Mwaura who lives with Albinism, is one of Kenya's most renowned Disability advocates. In 2006, he co-founded Albinism Society of Kenya to champion the rights of persons living with Albinism and Disability in general. He serves as the national coordinator of the Albinism Society of Kenya. Mwaura is the chairman of Kenya Disability Parliamentary Association(KEDIPA), a network of legislators with Disability. The vision of KEDIPA is to have a society where disability is mainstreamed fully into national and county development plans and where persons with disability enjoy the exercise of their rights on an equal basis with others without discrimination. People living with albinism in East Africa live in fear of being killed, as kidnappers target their body parts to be used in witchcraft. Mwaura has rescued several children living with albinism from kidnappers who aim to sell their body parts to neighbouring countries- especially Tanzania- for ritual purposes.

In My Genes

In 2006, Mwaura met Lupita Nyong'o at the Kenya National Theatre (KNT) when Lupita was about to shoot her movie In My Genes. The movie was about the plight of people living with albinism. He had loved Nyong’o senior and his retinue of Young Turks as he grew up. He requested Lupita to introduce her to her father who later became the patron of Albinism Society of Kenya.

Political career

During his first year at Kenyatta University where he studied Special Education and French, he led a strike against an NGO that was exploiting blind students at the university. He was elected to represent special needs students at the students union, Kusa. His journey to ODM, was triggered when he was introduced to ODM Secretary General Peter Anyang' Nyong'o by his daughter, Academy Award winning actress Lupita. Due to his advocacy on disability issues, he was nominated to parliament by ODM to represent special interest groups.

During Orange Democratic Movement party elections in early 2014 a group of delegates led by Mwaura caused mayhem at the Kasarani Sports Gymnasium, insisting that the polls could not proceed unless they were furnished with party registers. Trouble started when men dressed in black suits overturned tables, smashed ballot boxes and destroyed election materials. Mwaura later told journalists he was aggrieved by various malpractices.

“I’m simply saying there was election malpractice. I believe in Raila Odinga; I had a long conversation with him before and I told him to allow the election to be free and fair,” he stated.
He added that his discontent stemmed from the fact that “there was a preferred list, which was my problem… that is not justice.”
“We were just about to carry out a very undemocratic exercise. I did not know I was capable of stopping it. But I was sure my opinion would be heard,” avers Mwaura.