IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW-WALTER MONGARE IS WORTH MORE
Meet the new Director of Information, Kisii County.
Mr. Walter Mongare Snr is now the Director of Communications, Kisii County Government. Love him or hate him, Walter has worked and swam in murky waters to where he is today.
Having been in the media and communication industry for 12 years, with on ground network across the country and abroad, I suppose he has something up his sleeve to offer the county. Media is all about network and I think he has that. From Radio Africa Limited, Nation media group, the Standard Group and the mother of media houses, KBC Sometime, I honestly think we need to start a different conversation about this gentleman practical and hands on experience which we all desire to have in the career path we are pursuing.
There are those of us who are academic in approach while others are industry based, Senior is a case of industry based qualification. For those of us who know Mongare better and up close, we do know that he deserves every bit of his Success.
From those who interacted with his in 7 East in Mumias Primary referred to him as “Mongare wa Ku-bore” because he constantly tried his wit in class, those who interacted with him in Lenana School, referred to him as a “Hustler” having set up a “Chapo” business to supplement his finances, a mobilizer and creative guy who led a nationally winning school choir for 3 years together with the likes of Dr.
Duncan Wambugu. In Kenyatta University, during his early days joined the team that put together the cultural week fetes that finally gave him a crack to national and international fame. What I read through all these is a guy who remains focused on success regardless of the challenges and circumstances around him at any given time. Don’t or didn’t we all go through such?
Some of us have already started the usual mudslinging on his appointment. As a society, we are quick to find someone “not suitable” for a certain portfolio instead of finding out what other attributes he or she brings onboard. There are those who say that he never graduated from KU, true as it is but that does not mean he never went through campus.
For the benefit of all those who have never understood the circumstances around his university degree program, if you watched his acceptance speech during the Kenyatta University Heroes award ceremony, where he was vetted and awarded, he publicly made it clear that at one point, he will complete his degree which the university is keen on supporting because the institution recognizes his contribution to society. This to me is a clear indication that the University is proud to be associated with him despite the fact that we keep saying he never graduated from KU.
Our minds have been crowded with looking at him as a “mere comedian” because I guess that is a brand that he has successfully planted in our minds to the point where we have not been able to separate Walter and “Nyambane” the brand. If you ask me, it required intellect, talent and skill to create a character and bring it to “life”.
I have the privilege of accessing additional information that may not be glaring in public domain and that is what this blog is meant to do; start a fresh conversation on who exactly the Director of communications of Kisii county is and not who is “Walter Mongare” because everyone of us has a “personal life” and we must learn to separate the two.
In my opinion, he is a smart and charismatic gentleman who possesses the qualities of a good manager, leader and family man, a classic example of a dreamer who continues to work on his career growth and has created avenues that have benefited millions who watch and listen to comedians, benefited the families of those comedians we take pride in such as Churchill; and if it was not for the efforts of Walter and his Redykyulass crew, who craftily used political satire through comedy to demystify the so called oppressive “Moi regime”, we would not talk about freedom of speech, the media and political transformation in the late 90s.
Personally, I applaud those who have believed in him over the years and give him positions of responsibilities which he has executed with precision and delivered on the task he is given, of course subject to discussion depending on each individual’s expectations of him. I think Kisii Governor, H.E. James Ongwae is spot on with Mr. Mongare as his choice, and he was right in trusting him with the job. Mongare Senior will deliver. Welcome on board Bwana Director.
Kisii Chapter Development team
IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW-WALTER MONGARE IS WORTH MORE
