By Ann Wanjiru
‘Kijana fupi amenona round…..mulmulwas’ Famous and memorable words from the politician, Prof John Krop Lonyangapuo. No other speech, not even from Kibaki has elicited such immense ‘meme value’. No matter how you rearrange it or even repackage it, it still is outstanding.
Prof. Lonyangapuo is the current Governor of West Pokot. He was the former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industrialization from 2008 to 2010 under the Kibaki regime.
The politician burst into national limelight when he was elected governor. The outspoken governor had an illustrious tenure as a PS having facilitated a number of projects across the country.
He is not only an intelligent leader; he is also a politician keen on uplifting his people in West Pokot.
Age and Education Background
Dr. Lonyangapuo was born in 1964 In Kanyarkwat, West Pokot County. He went to St. Mary’s School Yala, Nyanza for his secondary education. He then proceeded to Egerton University Kenya where he graduated with Bachelor of Science in Pure Mathematics and later on pursued his graduate studies at the University of Leeds in the UK. He then proceeded to obtain his PhD in Applied Mathematics.
Personal Life
Dr. Lonyangapuo is married to Mary Lonyangapuo who is a lecturer at Moi University. They have been married since 1993. He has three daughters, Rachael in class 4, Abigail in class 7 and his oldest 25 years as of 2019.
Career
Prof. Lonyangpuo got into politics in 2004, after two decades of public and academic service; he unsuccessfully vied for the KANU ticket for the Kapenguria parliamentary seat and emerged third. In 2012, he resigned as PS and ran for the senatorial seat of West Pokot. He soon became the flag bearer for KANU and won with a landslide by garnering 72 percent of the votes.
In 2016, he declared his interest and intention to run for the West Pokot county gubernatorial seat. Although it was hotly contested he won during the elections conducted in 2017.
Scandal
In April 2019, Dr Lonyangapuo became an internet and news sensation after a video of him attacking Mr Ruto Kapchok circulated online. Quite recently Prof. Lonyangapuo’s dirty laundry was aired out on Facebook and Twitter, by an alleged girlfriend. Images of his nudes being broadcasted on social media, with screenshots accompanying them. He confronts his alleged girlfriend asking her why she would expose hi, and tells her he want his KSH 500,000 back in his account.
