Kiraitu Murungi, the former governor of Meru, recently received a degree in happiness from the Happiness Studies Academy (HSA), a New York-based organization.
In order to demonstrate his readiness to spearhead a “happiness revolution” in his native country, he posted a picture from the graduation ceremony.
The one-year Degree course at HSA equipped Kiraitu with the tools to promote happiness in personal, interpersonal, and communal life.
He expressed his accomplishment in a statement, saying, “I am happy to announce that I successfully completed a one-year Degree Course in Happiness Studies from the Happiness Studies Academy (HSA) and graduated. I am now fully equipped to spearhead the happiness revolution in my motherland.”
During a talk at Kenya Methodist University, Kiraitu challenged the prevailing notion that money is the root of all evil.
Drawing on his studies, he said, “Money has been given a bad name. Some say it is the cause of our unhappiness and stress, but based on my own studies, which are grounded in psychology, we need to rethink money.”
He urged a more positive narrative around money, emphasizing its potential to enhance happiness and bring meaning to our lives.
The former governor was determined to shift perceptions about money and its societal role. He stated, “With proper psychological focus, money can and does buy happiness. I want to move you away from the conditioning that money is bad and is the root of more evil. I want you to think that money can give you happiness.”
The Happiness Studies Academy, with a base in New York, champions the happiness revolution through a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to teaching happiness.
Their mission, as stated on the institution’s website, is to promote whole-person wellbeing, defining happiness as the experience of “whole-being.”
