The academic qualifications of politicians have always been a source of controversy, especially during the general elections.
Some local politicians whose papers have been questioned, such as Johnson Sakaja, Cleophas Malala, and Jimi Wanjigi, have raised concerns about the authenticity of their intellectual degrees.
Those politicians who excelled as students, on the other hand, have sparked little interest.
Some of our politicians have performed academically in this manner.
1. Moses Masika Wetangula
He studied at Busakala, then went to Teremi and completed his high school at the Friends School of Kamusinga High School. Wetangula earned an A Plain and then entered the University of Nairobi for his LLB degree.
He has served in the government of Kenya as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2010 and from 2011 to 2012, and he was Minister for Trade from 2012 to 2013.
Wetangula represented Sirisia Constituency in the National Assembly from February 2003 until January 2013.
2. Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka
Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka is a Kenyan politician who was the tenth Vice-President of Kenya from 2008 to 2013.
Kalonzo attended the Meru High School and later joined Kitui High Schools. It has been said that he obtained the equivalent of the A-(Minus) rating on completion.
He later entered the University of Nairobi whereby he studied law. He continued his education at the Kenya School of Law in 1978.
In 1979, he traveled to Cyprus to the Mediterranean Institute of Management. He finished a degree in accounting.
3. Raila Amollo Odinga
Raila studied at t Kisumu Union Primary, then later Maranda High School and graduated in 1962. He was a really smart kid at Maranda and managed to score the equivalent of today’s A-(Minus).
Later he went to the Herder Institute in Germany, where he learned and was awarded a scholarship at the Technical School, Magdeburg.
Afterward he attended the university of Leipzig in East Germany. He then proceeded to the Magdeburg Technical School, now known as the University of Otto-von-Guericke.
It was a scholarship. He then finished with a Masters of Science in Mechanical Engineering.
Mr Odinga, who served as Prime Minister between 2008 and 2013, returned to Kenya after completing his studies and established Standard Processing Equipment Construction and Erection Limited (later renamed East African Spectre), a company that specialises in the manufacturing of liquid petroleum gas cylinders.
4. Mwai Kibaki
Today, Kenyans look back to former President Mwai Kibaki’s tenure, between 2003 and 2013, before drawing comparisons with the current government’s scorecard.
5. Adan Mohamed
Born in Gatuyaini village, Nyeri County, he attended three primary schools including Gatuyainĩ School (two years), Karĩma Mission School (three years), Mathari Boarding Primary School.
He then proceeded to Mang’u High School between 1947 and 1950 where he recorded the highest possible score in the final examinations.
He proceeded to Makerere University where he studied Economics, History and Political Science before joining politics where he ascended to the highest possible seat on the land.
Former East African Community (EAC) Cabinet Secretary Adan Mohamed is considered one of the brightest minds in Kenyan politics owing to his achievement.
Born in 1963, he kicked off his schooling at Mandera Primary School before proceeding to Kangaru High School.
His star, however, shone brightest at the University of Nairobi where he graduated with first class honours in Commerce.
He then enrolled for (and graduated with) an MBA at the prestigious Harvard Business School.
Prior to his appointment to the CS post in 2013, Mohamed had worked as Chief Executive Officer for Barclays Africa and had also served at PricewaterhouseCoopers in London. He is now seeking to be the next Mandera Governor.
6. Caleb Amisi
Saboti MP Caleb Amisi is the typical grass to grace story following his ascension to have a seat at the political table.
In a recent interview he held with Kenyans.co.ke, the lawmaker revealed that he was raised by his grandmother following the death of his father. He would later be abandoned by his mother.
“I used to be herdsboy and make not more than Ksh200 for a weekend and that was enough to keep us going,” the MP, who is also a maize and dairy farmer explained in the interview
Despite the hardships, Amisi was able to emerge as the top student in Western Kenya in the 2000 KCPE examinations.
He later enrolled at Starehe Boys Center where he first wore shoes and proceeded to the University of Nairobi for a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce. He was encouraged to joined politics by former Gatanga MP Peter Kenneth.
7. Otiende Amollo
In July 2021, Rarieda MP Otiende Amollo galvanised his former classmates to visit his high school tutor Ezekiel Akunja Rachuonyo for moulding them.
At the time, the lawmaker revealed that they were grateful to have been taught by the school head who they described as a disciplinarian and understanding teacher while at Maranda High School. He served as the institution’s captain at the time.
His work was evident, especially in the 1989 class where he topped the school’s national exam.
“We thank mwalimu for making us who we have become,” the renowned lawyer and ODM party member stated at the time.
Due to the hardship in his upbringing, Amollo insisted that he would pursue Law in the University and made Law his three choices during the application stage.He studied Bachelor of Law (LLB) at the University of Nairobi
