Kipkeny Ward MCA David Kimeli Letting aka Kokwas. PHOTO | COURTESY
The quiet Kipkenyo Ward in Kapseret Constituency, Uasin Gishu County, burst into celebration on Saturday as residents honoured their Member of County Assembly (MCA), David Kimeli Letting, popularly known as Kokwas, for his recent academic milestone.
At 64, Kokwas sat for the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) as a private candidate, scoring a mean grade of D-. His results included four Es, two D- grades, and a C- in Biology, his best-performing subject.
“I am ahead of 400 and 80 something students who have wasted 15 years,” he declared. “I went there for only 30 days of exams, without any schooling, not even tuition. No one has ever come to me and explained anything; I am doing this through God.”
Kokwas, who dropped out of nursery school in 1970, attributed his performance to sheer determination and innate ability. He revealed that his Biology grade, a C-, was a point of pride. “Imagine bwana, ati nimeshinda watu 400. In Biology I (scored) C-, and there is nobody here who has (scored) C-. I am someone who is learned from my mother’s stomach. I am different,” he remarked.
He humorously recounted his Kiswahili performance, saying: “Hiyo Kiswahili kwanza haikuwa mbaya, nikaona sasa ntapata E plus. Wengi wakaniambia ata E plus haipatikani, sasa mimi nikajikaza tu lakini juzi nikakuwa surprised kupata kwamba niko na D-.”
Four years ago, Letting registered for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and scored 150 marks. This inspired him to pursue secondary education, undeterred by his age or lack of formal schooling.
“Wakisema watu wa O-level mimi nitakuwa mmoja wao. Sitatolewa na hii kazi ya MCA. Kuna wakati walikuwa wanasema kama hauna certificate ya Form Four huwezi pewa. Sasa saizi hakuna kitu wataniambia,” he asserted.
Elected without academic qualifications, Kokwas was motivated to further his education to contribute meaningfully to debates at the Uasin Gishu County Assembly. “I am happy that I already know how to speak in English and explain because that is my nature and this is from God,” he said.
Residents of Kipkenyo gathered to celebrate their leader offering congratulatory messages and applauding him.
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