Lawrence George Sagini was born on January 1, 1926, at Gesonso, Kisii. His father, Ndemo Kibagendi, was the president of the African Tribunal Courts in Kisii. Sagini was of the Mwabogonko clan, descended from the brave warrior Nyakundi, who faced the British expeditionary forces.
Sagini attended Mangu School and was baptized there. According to his wife Mary, even when he was unwell, her husband never skipped church. In honor of him, Ria’Sagini Catholic Chapel was built with his assistance. He also contributed to self-help initiatives and other churches.
As a token of gratitude, the Catholic Church in Kenya chose him and seven other people to see the Pope in order to get a “knighthood.” Contrary to popular belief, Sagini’s family was Seventh Day Adventist. When Sagini enrolled in the Catholic school Mangu, his mother was a deaconess of the SDA. She did, however, subsequently become a Catholic, as did several of the Ndemo family.
Sagini’s basic schooling at Isecha Sector School began in 1934, because to his father’s strong educational values. As Sagini traveled home from school, his father and his five wives would alternately meet him halfway with porridge or food. Primary school students used to go a great distance to get to school back then. After enrolling at Kisii Government African School in 1937, Sagini continued on to Kabaa Mangu Holy Ghost College. Andrew Omanga, Moody Awori, Mwai Kibaki, Tom Mboya, Lawrence Oguda, and Chrisantus Ogari were among his classmates.
When missionaries forbade students from using their family names, it was one of the most remarkable moments of that era. This clarifies why Sagini did not use his father’s name, Ndemo, in official documents. Following his time in Mangu, Sagini attended the Kagumo Teachers’ Training College in Nyeri. He graduated from the college in 1950 and went on to work in Central and South Nyanza as a teacher, headmaster, and education officer.
He gave up his teaching position in 1957 to enroll at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, USA, to complete his Bachelor of Arts in sociology and political science. In 1959, he received his honors diploma. After his return, Sagini went back to work as a teacher and spent a short time at Asumbi Teachers College. He was named assistant education officer by the government in 1960 and served in that capacity until 1961. He further joined the University of East Africa’s Provincial Council.
Six children were born to Sagini and Mary Nyaboke after their 1950 marriage. Sagini provided math tutoring to his brothers and offspring. The kids succeeded and graduated from college. In addition, he taught his brothers Paul Mong’are, Francis Mayieka, Salim Ndemo, Job Kibagendi, Prof. Francis Abuga, and Dr. Bitange Ndemo, who is currently the Permanent Secretary for Information and Communications. The necessity to expand African representation in the Legislative Council and boost constituencies emerged just before independence. Kisii was thus cut off from South Nyanza and established as an own constituency.
