Former Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha resume reads like a novella. The 91 page CV gives a glimpse of just how valuable the professor was in ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta’s cabinet. During his vetting session, the former Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) chairman showed his pedigree by answering MPs question with finesse if not with a tinge of arrogance.
Asked why he is dictatorial and mechanical, the man who played a pivotal role in ensuring exam cheating in the country was eradicated answered:
“I am a surgeon, I identify the problem then deal with it and leave… If that’s what you call mechanical then that’s fine…”
Magoha said that he did not lobby for the position but was nominated purely on merit:
“I did not lobby. I am completely apolitical and my nomination is purely on professionalism……”
George Magoha continued; “I had an opportunity to be appointed by the C-I-C who happens to belong to a party but I believe in the execution of our mandate we should be completely neutral. Even the Jubilee diehards will not deliver as much as I will.”
Then he went on to warn those who have intention of engaging in corruption in his docket:
“Anyone who chooses to plunder government funds I will not be very kind to them because it’s a choice..”
Here is his story as told by WoK.
Age
The good professor was born in Kisumu on 2nd July, 1952.
Education
He had to relocate to Nairobi at a young age because he was suffering from asthma. He was housed by his brother and his wife. He attended the following schools:
Jina Primary School, Yala- 1960-1963
Dr David Livingston Primary School, Nairobi-1964-1966
Starehe Boys’ Centre and School-O-levels-1967-1970
Strathmore School-A levels-1971-1973
University of Lagos-Human medicine-1973-1978
Lagos University Teaching Hospital-University College Hospital, Ibadan-1979-1985
Royal College Of Surgeons, Dublin Ireland-1980
Royal Postgraduate Medical School-the United Kingdom-1983
He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Ireland-
Marriage and children
George Magoha is married to Dr. Odudu Barbra Magoha and the couple have a son known as Michael Achinja who also works as a neurosurgeon, department of surgery at the University of Nairobi (UoN).
His wife is a doctor by profession and holds a masters in obstetrics and gynaecology. She is also a lecturer at UoN and is a consultant gynaecologist at Kenyatta National Hospital. Magoha married Barbra in a church wedding in 1982.
Career Path
Internship, Lagos University Teaching Hospital-1978-1979
Resident in Surgery, Lagos University Teaching Hospital-1979-1981
Senior House Officer, Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin Ireland (FRCS primary)-1980
Senior Resident in Surgery (Urology), at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital:
Registrar in Renal Transplant and Urology units Royal Postgraduate Medical School Hammersmith Hospital, London:
Senior Resident and clinical lecturer in Surgery at Lagos University Teaching Hospital:
Honorary lecturer in Anatomy at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital Lagos, Nigeria
Consultant Surgeon and Urologist to the First Foundation and Shoreman Medical Centres, the Motayo Clinic, and The Duro-Soleye Hospital, Ikeja Lagos, Nigeria
Lecturer in Surgery at the University of Nairobi
Senior lecturer in Surgery at the department of Surgery of the University of Nairobi
Associate Professor of Surgery at the department of Surgery of the University of Nairobi
Professor of Surgery at the department of Surgery of the University of Nairobi
Chairman of the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC), from 2016-2019
Cabinetry Secretary for Education (CS)- March 2019 to date.
And how much is Prof Magoha worth?
According to documents shared by the good professor to the National Assembly’s Committee on Appointments, Magoha is worth Ksh250 million.
His investments
Rental houses-listed as one of his source of income
Treasury bills-he has invested in treasury bills
Salary-from his profession
Fixed cash deposits
Owns a Safaricom mast
Death
The former Education CS Prof George Magoha passed on at Nairobi Hospital following cardiac arrest on 24/01/2023.
