By BOB AMALEMBA
June 4, 2026| In a rare display of institutional pride, students from Musingu Boys High School toured the Senate yesterday, stepping into the very arena where their “old boys” have quietly built one of the most formidable political networks in the country.
The visit, organised by Chief Principal Bernard Toili Lukuya as part of the school’s co-curricular programme, marked the first such tour since the school was established in the 1960s, shortly after Kenya’s independence. The timing could not have been more symbolic.
While elite institutions like Alliance, Starehe, and Kapsabet have long been celebrated as cradles of leadership, Musingu is making a compelling case as parliament’s most prolific producer of elected leaders in the current 13th Parliament — even outnumbering the once-dominant Alliance High School.
Western Kenya’s Senate Stronghold
In the Senate alone, Musingu boasts four heavyweights:
- Sen. Boni Khalwale (Kakamega)
- Allan Chesang’ (TransNzoia)
- Sen. David Wakoli (Bungoma)
- Sen. Edwin Sifuna (Nairobi) — who also serves as ODM Secretary General
This means Musingu old boys represent three of Western Kenya’s five counties in the upper house. Until recently, Khalwale was Senate Majority Whip. When he stepped down, the seat didn’t go to another school — it stayed with Musingu through Wakoli. Sifuna, meanwhile, holds the position of Senate Minority Deputy Whip.
In the National Assembly, the school’s dominance continues with:
- Fred Kapondo (Mt Elgon) — serving his third term
- Tindi Mwale (Butere) — serving his second term
- Nabii Nabwire (Lugari)
- Fred Ikana (Shinyalu)
The Scorpion in the Gallery
The tour gained a special moment when Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, an old boy of rival school Kapsabet, spotted the Musingu students in the gallery. While contributing to a debate on the poor state of hospital kitchens in Bungoma County, Cherargei couldn’t resist a witty jab:
“Even Musingu Boys sitting in the gallery know that when a county government messes with a kitchen in Western, it becomes a big issue… because ‘Obusuma’ (Luhya for ugali) cannot cook well.”
The remark drew laughter and perfectly captured the sharp, quick-witted debating culture the school is increasingly known for. Cherargei and Sifuna, in particular, are famous for their entertaining exchanges that often liven up the chamber.
Wakoli, who like Sifuna also slept in Taifa House and rose through the ranks from dormitory prefect to school captain, was accorded a special opportunity to address the students in the Senate chamber.
The trained Kiswahili teacher, now Bungoma Senator and Ford Kenya Youth Patron, delivered his message in his trademark eloquent Kiswahili, urging the students to remain focused and determined regardless of their backgrounds.
“Still waters run deep. We have one of the highest representations in Parliament, yet very few people know about it because we are a humble school tucked away in the countryside. It is a privilege that you have entered Parliament; in our days, the furthest we managed was the KICC during music festivals,” he said.
“You are future lawmakers. You can achieve it too.”
A School Built on Boundaries and Battles
Musingu’s political DNA may well stem from its unusual geography. The school literally sits on the disputed boundary between Shinyalu and Ikolomani constituencies. The administration block has shifted sides over the years depending on redrawn boundaries — a reality that has seen the school benefit from bursaries from both sides.
Old boys recall how fierce football rivalries with Kakamega High School shaped their resilience. While Kakamega dominated the pitch, Musingu’s legendary cheering squad, “Jombi”, taught students the art of organised noise, persistence, and spectacle — skills that translate remarkably well to politics.
Sifuna, who finished Form Four in 2000, is still remembered by classmates as “that small-bodied boy from Taifa House with a very persistent voice during Jombi sessions.”
Beyond Politics: ‘The Noise Makers’
The school’s influence extends far beyond elected office into activism and the legal fraternity. It has produced prominent human rights defenders and legal minds including:
- Senior Counsel Dr. John Khaminwa
- Senior Counsel Nelson Andayi Havi
- Law lecturer and Senior Counsel Elisha Zebedee Ongoya
- Activist and health sector advocate Dr. Brian Lishenga
Lishenga, who chairs the Rural & Urban Private Hospitals Association of Kenya (RUPHA) and owns private clinics, has been a vocal critic of the Social Health Authority (SHA), a thorn in Health CS Duale’s flesh, frequently highlighting its implementation challenges. He also intends to run for Kakamega Senator in 2027.
Havi, who is eyeing the Westlands MP seat in 2027, often collaborates with other outspoken lawyers—such as Ahmednasir Abdullahi and veteran human rights advocate Gibson Kamau Kuria—in efforts to address issues within the judiciary. Loud, even on social media.
The school does not only have lawyers on the usualy loud Jombi-like side of the bar; in fact, they have Justice Byram Ongaya—the Principal Judge of the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC)—in the quiet alleys of the bench.
The Ultimate Prize?
It was once Alliance that reigned supreme as the incubation centre for budding legislators. There was a time when current Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o and Siaya Governor James Orengo ruled the debates in parliament. Today, Alliance’s footprint in the 13th Parliament is limited to Senate Speaker Amason Kingi and National Assembly Majority Leader Kimani Ichung’wa.
Musingu, the rural underdog tucked deep in the hills of Kakamega, has surpassed that tally — a clear sign that it may now be time for the village school to take centre stage.
As the Scorpions (Musingu’s mascot) land in Malinya this evening — after pep talks from their MPs and the traditional loaf of bread — one question lingered: Can this silent, unsung school produce Kenya’s next president?
With Sifuna’s name already being floated as a potential successor to President William Ruto (a proud Kapsabet old boy), the quiet village school may be preparing for its biggest political battle yet.
