Read more on the Ken Lusaka’s biography. A former governor of Bungoma County and now the speaker of the Senate, Lusaka is a man with a rich history in the public sector in Kenya. In this article, I explore the biography of this rising kingpin of the Bukusu tribe in Kenya
Overview of Kenneth Lusaka Biography
Kenneth Lusaka is popularly known in his place of birth as Ken Makelo Lusaka is the current and 2nd speaker of the Kenyan senate. He was born on 18th September 1963.
Earlier to clinching the senate position, he served for one term as the 1st Governor of Bungoma County between March 2013 and August 2017 in Kenya.
Here is more information about the personal, political, and professional life of Lusaka:
Kenneth Lusaka Education Life
Born in the former Bungoma District, which is the current Bungoma County, Ken attained his early education at the Kamukuywa Primary School. He acquired his ‘O’ Level education at the Kibabii High School for his ‘O’ Levels before enrolling at Friends School Kamusinga and Chesamisi High School for his ‘A’ levels.
Later, Lusaka successfully pursued and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and History. He then joined the Netherlands-based Institute of Social Studies, a place he got an MA in Public Policy and Administration.
While studying at this institution of higher learning in the Netherlands, Lusaka was appointed to head the student body as the President of Scholars.
Kenneth Lusaka Professional career
Not much is documented concerning the professional life of Ken Lusaka other than resigning as a Permanent Secretary before offering himself for the gubernatorial seat in 2012. This was his first time he presented himself for an elective political position in the country.
Kenneth Lusaka Political Experience
In his first attempt to clinch a political electoral position, Lusaka successfully ran for the gubernatorial position of Bungoma County. He managed to beat his opponents who were political veterans in the region by far, including Wabwoba Walinywa, Alfred Khangati, Jack Tumwa, and Maurice Makhanu.
During his five-year tenure as the governor of Bungoma County, he shifted his political allegiance from the party which sponsored him to the gubernatorial seat, Amani Congress to the Jubilee Party.
It is on the new party’s ticket that the former governor unsuccessfully tried to secure his second term in office as the Bungoma governor on 8th August 2017.
Even after failing to retain his seat, luck never left Ken’s side as the Jubilee Party fronted him as it’s a candidate for the senate’s position of a speaker. He won the speaker seat on August 31, 2017, but after going through a tedious, second round vote process in a Jubilee dominated the house. He managed to garner 42 votes against Farah Maalim, his closest rival who got 25 votes.
As a result, Lusaka was declared the second speaker in the Kenyan history of the senate.
Kenneth Lusaka Controversy
Lusaka’s main political controversy manifested itself in September 2015. It was during this time that the former Bungoma County’s name became a topic of discussion in the political corridors as well as in the public domain.
The auditing report in the County exposed stunning information about the expenditure of the region. The country woke up to the shocking news suggesting that Lusaka, the then governor had authorized the purchase of 10 wheelbarrows for a whopping estimated $10,881 or Kshs 1,093,200 for a slaughterhouse in Bungoma County.
In simple mathematics, the allegations insinuated that the former governor had spent ($1,088 or Kshs 109,320 for one wheelbarrow.
But as any other politician in the country, he refuted the outrage sparked by Kenyans, in particular, people in his county of Bungoma.
According to Ken’s response, the supposed substantial misuse of taxpayer money by his administration was untrue. In his defense, he attempted to justify the price of the wheelbarrows, claiming that the purchased items were ordinary products as many people thought.
The wheelbarrows, as per the reports in the local and international media, were made of the costly stainless, a good reason for its exorbitant price. The pushcarts, as reported in his rejoinder, were of non-carcinogenic material and were tailor-made to suit the County’s food industry.
But, Lusaka far along alleged he had formally launched inquiries into the matter and ordered the committees in charge of evaluation and tender to validate the procurement.
