Godfrey Kariuki Mwangi popularly known as Kabando Wa Kabando was born way back in August 1967 in Mukurweini, Nyeri County.
Kabando wa Kabando joined Form One at Ololoserian High School in Kajiado where he changed his name taking up Godfrey, he referred to himself as GKM Kabando since he never believed the first three names were his. For these reasons, many of his classmates referred to him as Kabando.
He later joined the University of Nairobi in 1990 as an undergraduate Student pursuing Bachelors of Arts in Political science and graduated in 1993.
When he vied for the Chairmanship of the Student Organisation of Nairobi University (Sonu) in 1992, the name Kabando wa Kabando stood him in good stead since many could not easily place his ethnic identity in the heavily polarised student community.
“My name helped me defray the tribal card when I campaigned and won the Sonu chairmanship in 1992 since I couldn’t be associated with any ethnic or political party grouping,” Kabando recalls. “But it also became a setback for me when I vied for a seat in Parliament in 1997 because some Mukurweini voters thought I was an alien.”
Getting his names changed completely was never an easy task, for he had to contend with legal bottlenecks at the Registrar of Persons. After launching more than 32 unsuccessful applications, he finally got his way in 2003 after the NARC government came to power.
“After the 2002 elections, I literally camped at the Registrar of Persons for many days until he finally heard my case, albeit half-heartedly,” the politician says.
Kabando later joined State University of New York as a Graduate Student in 1999 to study Masters Degree in Public Policy and Management and graduated in 2001.
Before joining politics, Kabando was the Chairman of Nairobi Water Sewerage Company and also the Managing Director of Kenya association of hotel keepers and caterers from 2003 to 2007.
He then contested successfully for Mukurweini Parliamentary seat, Nyeri county in 2007 and was elected on a SAFINA Party ticket.In 2013, he retained the seat on a TNA ticket which formed the Jubilee Coalition.
He served as the Assistant Minister of Youth Affairs from 2008 to 2012 in the Coalition Government.
Kabando lost his mother Rose Wachera in July 2014. Wachera was hacked to death by her last born son, Caesar Thiari at Ngamwa village in Mukurweini many saying he was under the influence of drugs.
Kabando Wa Kabando who is a strong Jubilee die hand supporter is a Member of Departmental Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Co-operatives since 2013