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Happy World Teachers' Day; celebrating ECDE teachers and all teachers

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 18:57:34 GMT

Happy World Teachers' Day: Celebrating ECDE Teachers and All Teachers

Today, on World Teachers’ Day, I would like to celebrate the teachers who have impacted my life, especially those who shaped me during my formative years.

Bob Talbert once said, “Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” There is profound wisdom in those words. The formative years of a child are not merely about learning how to read, write and count. They are about learning values, discipline, responsibility, honesty, curiosity, kindness and the dignity of hard work.

This is why the Bible, in Proverbs 22:6, reminds us:

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”

Looking back at my own childhood, I realise that some of the most important lessons I ever received were taught to me before I was old enough to fully understand their significance.

Mrs. Obiero and the beginning of my journey

My entry into the academic system was entirely incidental.

I was never formally taken to school. I simply followed my friend Awiko to Kandiege Primary and joined his class. That is how I joined Standard One when I was barely three years old.

When Mrs. Obiero came to teach Mathematics that morning, she could not have imagined that there was an unexpected pupil sitting in her classroom.

And when the time came to submit assignments, I imagine she must have wondered which class she had walked into. I had borrowed my friend's exercise book and attempted the assignment. I completed it among the first pupils in the class and proudly took my book to her for marking.

She looked at my work.

Then she put a big X on it.

She looked at me, asked my name, took me by the hand and walked me to the Nursery class, where she handed me over to the ECDE teacher.

In retrospect, Mrs. Obiero had done something profound.

She had recognised that I did not belong in that classroom—not because I was incapable, but because I needed to begin my education at the right stage.

In a sense, Mrs. Obiero was the person who admitted me into school.

She redirected my journey and placed me on the right footing.

For the rest of that term, however, my attendance was rather sporadic. I could not understand why I was not in the same class with Awiko.

Fortunately, my family relocated from the town center to our village home at the beginning of the second term. My mom then took me to school and handed me over to two wonderful ECDE teachers at Onego Pre-Primary School: Mrs. Ameda and Mrs. Onono.

And that is where the real foundation of my education was laid.

In my first examination, I emerged position 12 out of more than 50 pupils. The class was later divided into two, with each having roughly 25 pupils.

By the third term, I was position 1, sharing the position with my friend Nathaniel.

My report recommended that I be promoted to Standard One.

That recommendation marked the beginning of a journey that would take me through every level of education and eventually lead me to where I am today.

I spent only one year in Nursery before joining primary school at the remarkably young age of four.

The lessons that stayed with me

When I reflect on that experience today, I realize that Mrs. Obiero, Mrs. Amed, and Mrs. Onono were not simply teaching me how to write, read and count.

They were teaching me how to learn .

They taught me diligence.

They taught me honesty.

They taught me discipline.

They taught me to follow procedures.

They taught me commitment.

Most importantly, they taught me with patience, love and gentleness.

They took a toddler who knew very little about the processes and procedures of formal learning and gradually transformed him into a child who could read, write, count, learn and excel.

Those lessons stayed with me.

Years later, when I changed to Wikondiek Primary in Standard Eight, the Headteacher, Mr. Ochuodho, thought I was too young to be in Standard Eight. He threatened to demote me to Standard Four if I failed in the first exam in Standard Eight.

Little did he know that although I was young, I had already been equipped with something far more important than age: a strong foundation. I went ahead to emerge the second-best pupils in the first Exam I ever did in that school, firmly stamping my academic authority in the new territory.

The values instilled in me during those formative years continued to guide me throughout my education.

They contributed to the diligence, discipline and commitment that eventually shaped my academic journey.

Today, as I look back, I cannot separate the person I became from those early teachers.

The forgotten heroes of our education system

Yet, for many years, the contribution of ECDE teachers remained largely unrecognised.

Before devolution, many ECDE teachers operated under extremely difficult circumstances. In some communities, they were effectively doing voluntary work. Parents contributed as little as KSh 30 per month to support teachers' remuneration and purchase learning materials.

Imagine that.

The people entrusted with laying the foundation upon which our entire education system would be built were often among the least recognised and least supported members of the teaching profession.

And yet, they showed up.

They taught.

They encouraged.

They corrected.

They nurtured.

They cared.

They continued to shape generations of Kenyan children.

The teachers who did some of the most important work in education were often the ones who received the least recognition for it.

Devolution began to change the story

The advent of devolution brought an important opportunity to change this reality.

County governments assumed responsibility for Early Childhood Development Education, creating a framework through which ECDE teachers could be more deliberately recognised, employed and supported.

Kisumu County has made important strides in this regard, including the employment of more than 800 ECDE teachers on permanent terms.

I commend the current leadership for taking these important steps towards recognising and mainstreaming our ECDE teachers and providing greater security for their livelihoods.

But our work cannot end there.

There are still ECDE teachers who served our children for many years under difficult circumstances and retired before devolution transformed the management of ECDE.

Their contribution must not be forgotten.

A Regenerated Kisumu will honour its ECDE teachers

My vision for a Regenerated Kisumu is a county that recognises that the future of our children begins in the ECDE classroom.

We cannot speak about transforming education while neglecting the people who introduce our children to the world of learning.

We cannot build a knowledge economy while failing to invest in the foundation of knowledge.

And we cannot expect teachers to build confident, disciplined and capable children if we do not give those teachers the dignity, tools and environment they deserve.

My administration will therefore make the strengthening of ECDE a deliberate development priority.

We will work towards making ECDE teaching a respected and rewarding profession in Kisumu County.

This will include:

1. Supporting the welfare and dignity of ECDE teachers

We will strengthen policies that safeguard the welfare, professional dignity and working conditions of ECDE teachers. A teacher who feels valued is better positioned to create an environment in which a child feels valued.

2. Supporting professional development

Teaching young children requires specialised skills. We will invest in continuous professional development so that our ECDE teachers remain equipped with modern approaches to early childhood learning, child development, inclusive education and psychosocial support.

3. Improving ECDE learning environments

A child should not have to learn in a dilapidated classroom simply because they were born in a particular village.

We will work towards safe, child-friendly and stimulating ECDE centres equipped with appropriate learning materials, sanitation facilities, water and other basic infrastructure necessary for effective learning.

4. Equipping teachers with the tools to teach

We will strengthen the provision of age-appropriate teaching and learning materials so that ECDE teachers are not forced to depend on their own personal resources to educate our children.

5. Recognising the veterans who built the foundation

We will develop deliberate policies and programmes to recognise and support veteran ECDE teachers who served Kisumu's children before the advent of devolution and the current employment frameworks.

Their years of service must become part of our institutional memory—not a forgotten chapter.

6. Building a clear pathway for professional growth

We will work with the relevant institutions and stakeholders to strengthen career development, mentorship and opportunities for ECDE teachers so that a young person entering the profession can see a future in it.

Because the first classroom matters

The story of my education began in an unusual way.

I walked into a Standard One classroom when I was barely three years old.

Mrs. Obiero saw that I was in the wrong place and redirected me.

Mrs. Ameda and Mrs. Onono then welcomed me into the right place and helped me begin the journey properly.

Years later, I would become an oncology pharmacist, a biomedical researcher, and a professional working in precision medicine and oncology.

But long before I became any of those things, I was a little boy in an ECDE classroom learning how to hold a pencil, how to count, how to read, how to listen, how to follow instructions and how to learn.

That is the power of an ECDE teacher.

They may teach a child for only a few years.

But the lessons they plant can last a lifetime.

Today, therefore, I celebrate Mrs. Obiero.

I celebrate Mrs. Ameda.

I celebrate Mrs. Onono.

And I celebrate every teacher who has ever held the hand of a child and patiently shown them the way.

To all our ECDE teachers in Kisumu and across Kenya: thank you.

You are not merely teaching children.

You are laying the foundation upon which the future of our society will be built.

And in a Regenerated Kisumu , we will make sure that the people entrusted with building that foundation are themselves respected, supported, empowered and celebrated.

Happy World Teachers’ Day.

Regeneration of Kisumu

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 07:10:20 GMT

Regeneration of Kisumu; A New Chapter for Our County

For decades, we have waged a difficult battle against poverty, ignorance and disease—challenges that have continued to shape the lives and aspirations of our people since independence. Despite the progress we have made as a nation and as a county, too many families still struggle to access quality healthcare, decent education, sustainable livelihoods and meaningful economic opportunities.

Yet Kisumu is not a county without promise. Far from it.

We are endowed with fertile land, hardworking people, a youthful population, a strategic location, abundant natural resources, a rich cultural heritage and enormous economic potential. What we face is therefore not a lack of possibilities, but the challenge of converting our potential into tangible prosperity for our people.

This moment calls for all hands on deck .

The challenges before us are too complex to be solved by government alone. They require a whole-of-society approach that brings together citizens, professionals, farmers, entrepreneurs, workers, community organisations, investors, academia, civil society and government. Every citizen has a role to play in building the Kisumu we want to leave for the next generation.

But collective effort requires direction.

We need leadership that can listen to the aspirations of the people, understand the realities of their lives, mobilise the resources available to us, and translate ideas into measurable results. We need leadership that looks beyond the politics of the moment and asks a more fundamental question: What kind of Kisumu do we want to build, and what must we do today to make that Kisumu possible tomorrow?

I believe the answer lies in regeneration .

Regeneration is not simply about building new things. It is about restoring what has been neglected, strengthening what already works, correcting what has gone wrong, and creating what our future demands.

It is about revamping our healthcare system so that quality care is accessible to every citizen.

It is about reviving agriculture by connecting our farmers to markets, technology, value addition and better economic opportunities.

It is about revitalizing education so that every child has the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills needed to participate in the economy of the future.

It is about responsible stewardship of public resources, recognizing that every resource entrusted to government ultimately belongs to the people.

And it is about creating an environment in which young people can find opportunity—not only through government employment, but through enterprise, investment, innovation, manufacturing, agriculture, technology and the growth of the private sector.

These priorities form the foundation of Regeneration of Kisumu .

A county where potential becomes opportunity

The Kisumu we envision is a county where a child born in a humble home is not condemned to inherit poverty.

It is a county where a farmer can make a dignified living from agriculture because production is connected to markets and value addition.

It is a county where a young graduate can find pathways into employment, entrepreneurship, research and innovation.

It is a county where a mother does not have to travel unreasonable distances or face unnecessary barriers to receive quality healthcare.

It is a county where communities can restore and sustain their own development projects.

It is a county where public resources are treated as a sacred trust and where citizens can demand accountability for how those resources are used.

And it is a county that is confident enough to think beyond the problems of today and plan deliberately for the opportunities of tomorrow.

Regeneration begins with people

The true measure of development is not simply the number of projects completed, or the amount of money spent. It is the difference those investments make in people's lives.

A water project matters because families have access to safe and reliable water.

A road matters because it connects people to schools, hospitals and markets.

A health facility matters because it enables people to receive timely and quality care.

An agricultural processing plant matters because it allows farmers to capture greater value from what they produce.

A school matters because it opens a pathway to knowledge, skills and opportunity.

Development becomes meaningful when it changes the lived experience of citizens.

That is the spirit of regeneration.

From today's challenges to tomorrow's Kisumu

Our generation has inherited both challenges and opportunities.

We cannot change the circumstances of the past, but we can determine what we do with the opportunities available to us today.

We can choose to accept persistent challenges as inevitable, or we can organize ourselves to confront them.

We can continue managing problems one at a time, or we can build systems that address their underlying causes.

We can measure development by expenditure, or we can measure it by outcomes.

And we can leave the next generation with the same problems we inherited, or we can begin the work of building something better.

Regeneration of Kisumu is a call to choose the latter.

It is a call to revive what has stalled, restore what has been neglected, sustain what works and build what the future requires.

It is a vision grounded in the belief that Kisumu's greatest resource is not only its land, its lake, its infrastructure or its natural endowment.

Kisumu's greatest resource is its people.

When the energy, creativity, resilience and aspirations of the people are matched with visionary leadership, sound institutions, responsible stewardship and purposeful investment, Kisumu can unlock the enormous potential that already exists within it.

The journey will not be easy.

But neither is it impossible.

The task before us is to transform aspiration into action, potential into productivity, and development into a lived reality.

This is the work of regeneration.

This is the Kisumu we can build together.

Regeneration of Kisumu.

Revive. Restore. Sustain.

Mandela Ogada; Governor 2027

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 06:37:26 GMT

A song for Governor Mandela Ogada

Dr. Mandela Ogada Hakim on YouTube

Who is Dr. Mandela Ogada

Sat, 26 Sep 2026 17:16:01 GMT

Who is Mandela Ogada? Can we trust him?

I come from humble beginnings just like many of us in this country.

My parents did not have the opportunity to receive formal education. I grew up in a small, grass-thatched house that leaked whenever the rains came. I witnessed, from childhood, the extraordinary lengths to which my parents went to raise their children. They worked on other people’s farms, sold vegetables, sugarcane, firewood and charcoal, and did whatever honest work was available to keep our family going.

Being part of that struggle from as early as Class Two taught me two invaluable lessons: That life does not always give people equal starting points, and that dignity can be found in honest work, regardless of how humble it may appear.

And my parents held firmly to one conviction: their children had to receive an education. They were prepared to sacrifice almost everything they had to make that possible.

When I completed KCPE and secured admission to a national school, however, the cost was beyond what my family could afford. At that time, my father owned one cow, which had a calf. He made the painful decision to sell that cow, sacrificing the milk that was so precious to our household. The Ksh 5,000 he received from the sale kickstarted my secondary-school education.

I joined Thurdibuoro Secondary School , which is about thirty minutes' walk from our home, as a day scholar. By the second term, the financial pressure had become overwhelming. My father sold the calf to offset my fee arrears. My parents also sold some of the trees on our farm as firewood to the school to help clear part of the fees. By Form Three, however, there was simply nothing more that could be sold. Everything that could be done had been done. I was on the verge of dropping out of school.

Then something changed my life.

One of my teachers stepped forward and paid my school fees, including the arrears. Her kind intervention gave me an opportunity that my circumstances were about to take away.

I did not take these opportunities for granted, witnessing the amount of sacrifice that went into securing it.

Despite the difficulties, I remained at the top of my class and worked towards the grades I needed to pursue medicine. When I eventually sat my KCSE, I performed exceptionally well (83/84) against circumstances that could easily have ended my education much earlier.

My next opportunity came through the KenGen Foundation scholarship, which supported my undergraduate education at the University of Nairobi. My early career experience involved the treatment of cancer and clinical researchfor better medicine.

A few years later, another remarkable opportunity opened. I was awarded the prestigious Erasmus Mundus Scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies in Precision Medicine across Europe , with studies and research experiences spanning France, Switzerland and Italy.

For many people, such an experience would simply be an extraordinary educational opportunity. For me, it became something more: it opened my eyes to what is possible when systems work.

Living and studying in Europe exposed me to societies where things that can appear like luxuries in rural Kenya are treated as basic necessities: reliable electricity, potable water in homes, functioning sanitation systems, digital connectivity, innovation ecosystems, productive industries, modern healthcare and infrastructure that supports economic prosperity.

This experience made me think differently about development.

I came to appreciate the fact that prosperity is not simply about individual success . It is mostly about the systems that create opportunities for ordinary people. Prosperity depends heavily on governance, institutions, infrastructure, innovation, education, healthcare, productive agriculture and the collective effort of society.

I am now strongly convinced that it is possible for water to flow into people's homes. That very household can be connected to the national grid. That it is possible to build effective sewerage and sanitation systems even in rural communities. That villages can have reliable internet connectivity and innovation hubs for our educated youths. And that it is possible for industries to create livelihoods and for agriculture to become productive, sustainable and resilient.

And I began asking a fundamental question:

If these things are possible elsewhere, why should they remain out of reach for our people?

This question has remained solidified my resolve.

My story is not unique. Across Kenya, there are millions of families who understand what it means to struggle to pay school fees, to walk long distances for water, to depend on rain-fed agriculture, to live on roads that become impassable during the rains, and to watch educated young people struggle to find employment. The majority of young people in Kisumu can indeed agree with the words of Charles Blow

“I know the feel of thick calluses on the bottom of shoeless feet. I know the bite of the cold breeze that slithers through a draughty house. I know the weight of constant worry over not having enough to fill a belly or fight an illness… and I know how extremely expensive it is to be poor… poverty is brutal, consuming and unforgiving. It strikes at the soul” (Blow, 2011)

I have seen the distance between potential and opportunity from both sides: first as a child living through hardship, and later as a student who had the opportunity to experience what functioning systems can achieve.

In 2022, I articulated a vision for The Regeneration of Kisumu. Since then, my understanding of that vision has deepened.

With this diverse experience, I now understand development as the creation of an enabling environment in which every child can access quality education, every family can live with dignity, farmers can build sustainable livelihoods, healthcare can be dependable, young people can find meaningful opportunities, and communities can participate in shaping their own future.

My journey—from a grass-thatched home, through the sacrifices of my parents, the generosity of well-wishers, university scholarships, and international education—has taught me one enduring lesson:

Circumstances can determine where we begin, but they do not have to determine where we end.

I believe that the same principle applies to our communities and our county.

The future we want for our children and grandchildren is not beyond our reach . It requires imagination, hard work, functioning institutions, responsible leadership and a collective commitment to building systems that work for everyone.

That is the journey that has shaped me—and the foundation of my vision for the great County of Kisumu.