Eugene Wamalwa comes from a family of politicians who have inspired each other into their respective political roles.
Speaking on Engage Talk Show, Mr Wamalwa shared a glimpse into life with the late Michael Kijana Wamalwa, who was Kenya’s eighth Vice President.
” Our father made sure that you will not be treated in any special way, and you will work hard without any preferential treatment”
He recalled a pivotal moment when he met a man when he was four years old.
That man was his brother Michael Kijana who had arrived from England. Eugen as impressed with his eloquence.
“He was not there when I was born, he went to the Queens land to learn there, to become the Queens counsel, a lawyer, he went to the Kings College, London. When he came back, I never forgotten the first time I saw him. I was a little boy. This man spoke very good English, he had a very charming personality, this presence. Then I was told this is your eldest brother”
This brother would have a profound impact on his life and career choices. He aspired to pursue the legal profession like him. When his brother Kijana Wamalwa passed on, Eugene was thrown into the murky world of politics where he had to set his non-negotiables and strive to be his own man.
“His name is Michale Wamalwa. That is the person who actually had the biggest impact in my life, because soon after he came back our father passed away, so he became like our father, our mentor, and he raised us all together. We were 22 of us” that large family “Senator Wamalwa was a very strong man. He had five wives. so, these five wives, all of them, lost their husband, my mother was a primary school teacher, and you can imagine the small salary that the Primary schoolteacher had then. Upto now they still dont have enough” he shared pains at financial struggles.
Another thing Eugene learned from Michael was people will put you down, and to grow a thick skin “people will call names and you must never allow that to get to you, or to undo who you really are. I have learnt through my brother learned to grow a thick skin”
He has been using his brother’s education and career as a yardstick.
“I made sure that after graduating from the University of Nairobi, I worked hard to get my master’s at the same university, and as we speak I’m still working harder because he had gotten a Masters, I said I must get a PHD, and I’m still a student at the University, I’m still pursuing my goals Half a century later,”
by MAUREEN WARUINGE
