Prof. Mary Walingo hails from County Kakamega. At the time of writing, September of 2019 when she hit the headlines, her local representative was West Kabras MCA Hon. David Ndakwa, leader of minority Kakamega County. Her local MP was Hon Malulu Injendi of Malava Constituency. She hails not far from Lukume area.
A recent investigative journalism report aired on a local television station placed Prof. Mary Walingo smack in the middle of an alleged looting of Maasai Mara University. As investigative agencies continue with her work, we scoured the web and talked to sources in a quest to find out a little bit more about Prof Mary Walingo. These are four things we’ve learnt about the Maasai Mara University Vice Chancellor.
Prof. Mary Walingo, Pedigree
As we have seen with the likes of Julia Ojiambo and the late Elijah Mwangale – and as is the case with many Kenyans of a certain era who scaled the heights of education- Prof. Mary Walingo comes from a privileged background. Those who know her label the good professor ‘daddy’s girl’. Her late father, Walingo, was a pioneer Mukabaras businessman who ended up being one of the wealthiest Kabras.
Its a good thing that the patriarch of the Walingos valued education. As a result, Prof Mary Walingo’s siblings are also very well educated. This love for education has seen all the fourteen children that make up the Walingos boasting of an assortment of professions. From teachers to economists to marketers to entrepreneurs. Without doubt, the Walingo household is an economic and academic powerhouse of Western Kenya. To be fair, Prof. Mary Walingo and her accomplished siblings are very competitive, however, they are also very likeable people.
Prof. Mary Walingo The Legend
A story is told of Prof. Walingo being the pioneer Kabras woman graduate and PHD holder. A weebly page that bears her name in its url describes the educational background of Prof. Mary Walingo as follows:
I have PhD in Food and Nutrition with a strong inclination to food security and nutrition, MBA Strategic Management, MSc Applied Human Nutrition, and Bachelor of Education degrees. I have been lecturing at the University for about 20 years and supervised postgraduate research in food security, land use, nutrition and expenditure.
Further, Prof. Mary Walingo’s rise to Vice chancellor of Maasai Mara University placed her firmly in an exclusive class. Just like Prof. Julia Ojiambo Ofwoka Syongo from Samia, Professor Mary Walingo is just but the very few women from her time to trailblaze in academia and cap it all by occupying the highest seats in a public university in Kenya.
Like a solitary rose in a garden…
However, beyond academic exploits village rumor has it that another of Prof. Mary Walingo’s firsts was that she was married a virgin. This was after completing her university education. Though during her days being a virgin may have been more of the norm, it might have something to do with her upbringing.
In an interview with EVE magazine, professor talks of a “strict family upbringing” being key to her success. The next story of how Prof Mary Walingo got married, gives us a peak into the rich dividends of such a strict upbringing. Needless to reveal early, Mary was her family’s crown jewel, the apple of her father’s eye.
Bukhwe
Whispers trapped in the bushes that line the village paths tell me that the man who captured the heart of Prof Mary Walingo had a rough time during enganana. Legend has it that the negotiations for her dowry was a tumultuous and torture some story for the strapping lad. Not to worry though, all was in good faith as is expected when one marries a well bred, highly educated woman.
For culture, and whatever it is worth cementing relations between families through marriage, the brides people in such cases are often exceedingly stubborn to the extent of misrepresenting their daughter, themselves and their heart.
That said, even in married life, professor’s own sense of self is strikingly apparent as she goes by the name Walingo – by her father’s name. Today, such a decision is one that many women today might take for granted. In those days, her days, it confirmed a deep sense of independence. If you like, a steely nerve unbowed to patriarchy. That is to say as evident in her exploits in life, Prof Mary Walingo lives to the mantra: “What he can do, she can do better”.
Reinstated
Wednesday 7th September 2022, Prof. Mary Walingo was reinstated as the Vice Chancellor Maasai Mara University. This followed her appeal to the Public Service Commission in May 2022 against the university council’s decision to fire her. She had been unjustly fired following an expose on a local television station dubbed The Mara Heist where it was alleged that Ksh. 177 million had been misappropriated from Masaai Mara University.
The appellant be reinstated back to her employment on suspension pending the hearing and determination of the Anti-Corruption Case and/or until her contract is lawfully terminated,” read part of the statement. It went on to add, “The Appellant be paid half (1/2) salary and the attendant allowances pursuant to Section 62 of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act if the same has not been paid from the date of the charge and/or suspension.”
Part of statement by Public Service Commission CEO Simon Rotich ordering the reinstatement of Mary Walingo.
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