As Kenyans continue to question Nuru Okanga’s marks in the recent Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results, his claims that he has been admitted to secondary school are raising eyebrows.
Okanga, a staunch supporter of opposition leader Raila Odinga, now asserts that he has secured admission to a secondary school, withholding the specific name.
During an interview with Nairobi News, Okanga cited substantial reasons for his decision to keep the identity of the secondary school undisclosed.
We bumped into him on January 29, in the company of Migori politician Omar Hussein Ibrahim, at his office on Lusaka Road. We probed further into the unfolding narrative.
Questioning why he was not in class on that Monday, Okanga asserted that he had pressing matters to attend to, which necessitated his absence from the learning environment.
“Today, I had to take my kids to school. That is why I didn’t go to school. I have four kids whom I’m taking care of, and I have to take them to school, that is why I’m here, but if you look for me on the following day, you won’t get me because I’ll be busy in class,” Okanga said.
He cites his security as one of the reasons for withholding the name of the secondary school where he is presently pursuing his studies from the public.
“For security purposes, and many issues that are ongoing in Kenya Kwanza government, I will not name the school for now. If I name the school, I will be putting the life of the school principal at risk,” he said.
Nairobi News is unable to independently verify whether he has genuinely been admitted to any high school for his Form 1 education.
He further asserts that the same rationale behind not disclosing the school where he registered to sit for his KCPE exams is the identical reason for withholding information about his current secondary school.
“When I sat for my standard eight exams, no one knew the school that I was registered at. I just did my exams, and it was all over social media, so people should just allow me to study, and when the time to sit for my KCSE comes, they will see me sitting for my exams.”
Okanga, who is one of the youths who dominate the political scene, says that he is a brand in his own right that people can’t stop talking about.
Recently, he garnered attention on social media by sharing a photo of himself in a school uniform, albeit with a background featuring drawings reminiscent of early childhood development (ECD) classes. Netizens criticised him for clout-chasing and disseminating misleading information.
However, it’s worth noting that there are several adult education centers in Kenya where he could enroll, learn, and obtain a certificate. Adult education has gained prominence, offering systematic and formal learning opportunities for individuals who missed out on basic education during their younger years.
This practice gained momentum after President Daniel Arap Moi decreed the launch of a National Programme to eradicate illiteracy, known as Non-Formal education (Elimu ya gumbaru in Swahili), during the 15th anniversary of Kenya’s independence in 1978.
Since then, Kenya has witnessed a significant improvement in the adult education sector, with an annual growth rate of 12.1 percent.
As of 2018, Kenya’s adult literacy rate stood at 81.5 percent, a notable increase from 78.7 percent in 2014. This upward trend can be attributed to initiatives like ‘gumbaru,’ which have played a crucial role in popularising adult education and contributing to the enhancement of adult literacy levels in the country.
Kevin Cheruiyot, “Watch: Why Nuru Okanga Refuses to Reveal His Secondary School Details,” Nairobi News (Nairobi News, January 31, 2024), https://nairobinews.nation.africa/watch-why-nuru-okanga-refuses-to-reveal-his-secondary-school-details/.
