It is 7.30am on a Monday and Francis Mwangangi is leaving after attending morning mass at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Cathedral Church in Machakos.
As the deputy governor strolls into his office, all staff have already assembled, singing Christian hymns to set a spiritual tone for the day.
Mwangangi joins them and then delivers a short sermon and a prayer.
“I am in public office, and I need God’s guidance to serve the people. My day is structured around morning prayers, which help me to prepare spiritually before I meet my staff at 8am,” he tells the Star.
Once the prayer session is complete, he shifts his focus to official county duties.
For Mwangangi, these early morning prayers are not just a religious ritual; they serve as an activation system for his day, providing him with the motivation, humility, and spiritual nourishment he needs to serve the people of Machakos.
“The motivation behind my prayers is to serve the people with humility, focus and dedication,” he says.
His commitment to daily worship extends beyond office to personal and family life. His wife is his “prayer warrior,” a pillar of faith who has helped cultivate a strong prayer culture within their household.
“When we pray together, we win together and stay together.”
While many government officials begin their daily routines with early morning meetings and briefings, Mwangangi follows a different path.
His first order of business each day is prayer.
The 44-year-old leader has cultivated a regular morning routine that begins with Catholic mass, followed by a prayer session with the staff in his office.
“Attending morning mass has been in my DNA since I was in Class 6, when I became Catholic,” Mwangangi says.
The politician, currently pursuing a PhD in international relations at the University of Nairobi, attributes his achievements to the power of prayer.
His daily routine of morning worship has been a constant throughout his career, including his tenure as a United Nations staffer and later as Yatta MP ( 2013-2017 ) under Muungano Party.
Even after he lost his parliamentary seat in 2017, he never abandoned his faith. Instead, he saw the loss as a divinely ordained break, a time for God to refine and prepare him for bigger things. In 2022, he made a political comeback, being elected as deputy governor of Machakos alongside Governor Wavinya Ndeti.
“Prayer is about hope and renewal. When you lose hope, you lose everything, and the only way to sustain hope is through prayer,” Mwangangi says.
He believes spiritual strength has played a key role in shaping his leadership style and the positive energy he brings to his work.
“I have seen prayers work because I relate well with everyone. When I meet people, I reflect on what God wants me to do to serve them,” he says.
He believes many of the challenges people face—in personal life and leadership—stem from a lack of faith and intercession.
“I have seen God’s blessings in my duties as a family man, father, husband and as a public servant. These responsibilities require spiritual strength, and prayers have worked miracles in my life,” he says.
Balancing family, academics, and public service is no small feat, but Mwangangi insists that he draws strength from God to navigate these challenges.
“You need God’s guidance to
withstand the challenges of work,
especially in politics, where one
faces many obstacles, including
bad influences and difficult decisions,” he says.