Kenyan politician Charles Lilechi Lugano lived from 1950 till 2009. He was chosen to represent the Shinyalu Constituency in the Kenyan National Assembly by the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) following the country’s 2007 legislative election.
Lugano attended Lirhanda Mixed Primary School after finishing his education at Matioli Primary School. A later O-level student, he enrolled in Lodwar High School. He relocated to Kitale after graduating from high school, where he worked for Kenya Seed Company, National Cereals, and Produce Board. After earning an accounting degree, he started working for Turkana Fisheries Co-operative Society and eventually rose to the position of general manager.
He thereafter started working for the Kenya Red Cross Society. Lugano had several spouses and kids. He passed away at Nairobi Hospital on May 4, 2009, following what was described as a brief illness. After his passing, August 2009 had a by-election, which ODM’s Justus Kizito won, keeping Lugano’s party in power.
He was well known for providing charitable assistance to individuals, not only in Shinyalu but across the Kakamega area. His charitable work included assisting young people find jobs, paying for college and university tuition, and transporting the deceased.
Lugano, also referred to as Mundu wa Bandu (A Man Of The People), defeated MP Daniel Lyula Khamasi by more than 20,000 votes to win the Shinyalu parliamentary seat. This was the biggest number of votes cast in the Shinyalu constituency since it was first established from Ikolomani in 1988.
