Guided by your questions on what you’d like to know more about the boy from Khachonge who became governor, Mulembe Politics obliged: Governor Wycliffe Wangamati biography.
When he ascended to power, the second Bungoma county governor Wycliffe Wangamati had to be one of the most written about mulembe governors. His press team did a splendid job introducing him to the Kenyan public. Here at Mulembe Politics, we indeed were guilty of being part of the chatter: churning out a listicle on things you did not know, a transcript of the Governor Wangamati’s acceptance speech and even laying bare the instruments of his governance with a piece on Governor Wangamati’s first CEC cabinet.
But the questions kept coming: Who is Wangamati’s wife? Who is Patrick Wangamati? That kind of thing. And so we thought: Why not attempt to fact check and answer all (Ok, your most) of your common questions about Governor Wycliffe Wangamati? Here are seven of the most popular queries and their answers.
Governor Wycliffe Wangamati Biography FAQs
The second governor of Bungoma County, Wycliffe Wafula Wangamati is married to Caroline Wesonga Wangamati. They are blessed with three children, a girl and twins for boys.
Caroline Wesonga Wangamati was born to the late Mr George Wesonga, a teacher, and Mrs Margaret Nasambu Wesonga. Mrs Wangamati was born into the Balonja clan and hails from Bumula market in Bumula constituency, Bungoma County.
Bungoma county\’s first lady is an alumni of Loreto High School, Limuru (1991-1994). She attended Kenyatta University for her undergraduate studies in Bachelor of Commerce, Banking and Finance (1996-2000). Mrs Wangamati is a banker by profession and has worked with Thomas Reuters in various capacities.
The first lady leads an active life, evident in her trim physique and participation in the Beyond Zero marathon. She is a champion for reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health. She is particularly involved in organizing for the availability of safe blood for mothers, infants and children in need due to various health conditions.
Governor Wycliffe Wangamati is an alumni of Kanduyi Primary school. The young Wangamati thereafter attended Friends School Musingu (then Musingu High School) in the early eighties. Other well known Kenyans who are alumni of Musingu include: Lawyer Nelson Havi, ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna and former Kakamega Senator Dr. Boni Khalwale.
The future Governor attended Kibabii High School for his A levels.
Fun Fact: The late Mr. George Wesonga – the governor’s future father in law – is fondly remembered as the father of Kibabii High School, the governor’s alma mater. Truth be told, if the late George Wesonga had been alive today, he would have been a formidable candidate for Bungoma governor. Such was his influence. Such was the respect for his work among the people. As the Bukusu say: Kafwa ebikele.
The governor thereafter joined Moi University for a Bsc in Mathematics, graduating with first class honors.
Governor Wangamati, a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries is a pioneer in his field. Being the first among equals, the governor has consulted in a number of big ticket deals in the industry. What follows is a summary of the governor\’s career path before politics; and career highlights as listed on Bungoma County\’s official website.
- Managing Director, Alexander Forbes Risk and Insurance Brokers from July 2009 to August 8, 2017.
- Executive Director, Alexander Forbes Financial Services East Africa from October 2003 to April 2009.
- Executive Director and Head of the Benefits Administration Services and Consulting Division.
- Actuarial Manager, Hewitt Bacon & Woodrow in United Kingdom from January 2002 to October 2003.
- Senior Actuarial Consultant, Friends Provident Life Insurance Company in United Kingdom from July 1999 to December 2001.
- Actuarial Trainee, Hymans Roberts Actuaries & Consultants in South Africa from July 1997 to June 1999.
- Actuarial Trainee, Watson Wyatt Actuaries & Consultants in Nairobi from January 1995 to June 1997.
Career Highlights:
- Principal Consultant to the National Bank Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme with an asset base of about Ksh5 billion.
- Principal Consultant to the Egerton University Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme with an asset base of Ksh5 billion.
- Principal Consultant to the Kengen Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme with an asset base of about KSh4.5 billion.
- Principal Consultant and Scheme Actuary to the Kenya Wildlife Services Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme with an asset base of about Ksh4.5 billion.
- Support Actuary to the University of Nairobi Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme with an asset base of about Ksh6.5 billion. He restructured the Scheme to make it financially sound.
- Principal Consultant and Scheme Actuary to the Moi University Pension Scheme with an asset base of about Ksh4.5 billion.
- Scheme Actuary to the Public Service Pension Fund in Tanzania with an asset base of about Kshs.50 billion.
- Scheme Actuary to the Local Authorities Provident Fund in Tanzania with an asset base of about Ksh12 billion. Until his election, H.E. Hon Governor Wangamati provided actuarial and investment consulting advice on the day-to-day management of the Fund.
- Scheme Actuary to the Maseno University Pension Scheme with an asset base of about Ksh2.5 billion.
- Mr Wangamati previously served as principal consultant and actuary to the Local Authorities Trust Fund and transformed the fund to a defined contribution basis with asset base of more than Sh12 billion.
- H.E. Governor Wangamati is a Scheme Actuary and Principal Consultant to a number of Pension Schemes in Sub Saharan Africa with an Asset Base of about USD1 billion.
- Principal Consultant and Support Actuary to the KCB Staff Pension Fund – one of the Largest Occupational Pension Fund in Kenya with an asset base of Ksh20 billion.
A news report in September of 2013, names a Mr. Wycliffe Wangamati as the then managing director of the firm’s brokerage firm. To date, we believe the governor is still involved with the firm as a director.
Alexander Forbes has been a part of the governor’s professional life as he has been part of it’s transformations through history. The profile on on Bungoma County government’s official website offers this about Governor Wycliffe Wangamati and Alexander Forbes:
“Served as the Managing Director and shareholder of all the holdings of Alexander Forbes Risk and Insurance Brokers Kenya – a position he held from July 1, 2009. He is credited with helping grow Alexander Forbes East Africa schemes asset base from about Sh16 billion to about Sh180 billion in under six years.”
Wycliffe Wangamati\’s ancestral home is in Sichei village of Kabuchai Constituency of Bungoma County. However, the second governor of Bungoma has made a home in Ndegelwa area of Kanduyi constituency of Bungoma county.
In a news report, the governor offers that he made his first million whilst still in employment in the UK; the modest windfall being some 15,000 pounds sterling that he received as bonus payments. Our estimates, based on publicly available information, has Governor Wycliffe Wangamati comfortably a dollar millionaire many times over.
It is important to note that we have no way of verifying these estimates of Governor Wycliffe Wangamati’s wealth. Nonetheless, publicly available knowledge informed by industry trends – and declarations carried in popular press of the governor\’s various business interests – vouch for our guesstimates.
We invite you to make a judgement for yourself:
- Real Estate Portfolio
Our best guess is that the governor\’s real estate holdings alone should be somewhere north of 10 million dollars. Well, even these estimates are based on what is publicly known to be the real estate holdings of his two investment vehicles. Chances are the governor directly lords over other property outside these holdings. Besides, these investment vehicles themselves might have unreported, undeveloped property and other cash, near cash and non cash holdings.
- Bonito Properties Ltd.
Bonito properties Ltd is an investment vehicle in which the governor\’s wife serves as executive director, while the governor serves as the chairman of its Board Of Directors. The private company deals in property developments and boasts of a portfolio consisting of housing projects in Nairobi and Nzoia Apartments in Bungoma – Muslim Area. Governor Wycliffe Wangamati owns 70 per cent of this company.
- Bonito Hotels
This is the holding firm for Tourist Hotel Bungoma, possibly too Tourist Hotel Annex in Bungoma. Bonito Hotels is also involved in setting up a hotel in Nairobi in partnership with a private Equity fund (Going by the average costs of Nairobi property prices and value of hotel projects in the city, our estimates of a real estate portfolio of 1 billion Kenya Shillings might be too conservative). Governor Wycliffe Wangamati owns 60 per cent of Bonito Hotels.
2. Equity Holdings
- Milembe Investment Company
This is a microfinance entity, which has other political players as shareholders. (Could it be the progenitor of the much talked of Mulembe Bank?) Entity has branches in Kawangware – Nairobi, Kakamega, Bungoma and Kitale.
- Alexander Forbes
The corporate history of what is today known as Zamara is a case study for business classes in our universities. The short of it is that what was Alexander Forbes East Africa is Zamara today, and our good governor is a stock holder in the entity.
Sources
- Pioneer actuary is new Bungoma Governor
- Profile of H.E Governor Wycliffe Wangamati on Bungoma County Government Website.
- Alexander Forbes rebrands after ownership changes.
- On Caroline Wangamati’s health advocacy: A blessing of an RMNCAH champion for Bungoma.