Julius Kamiri Ndaini: From shamba boy to becoming MCA

By , K24 Digital
On Sun, 25 Sep, 2022 06:00 | 2 mins read
Julius Kamiri taking oath of office at the Nyeri County assembly. PHOTO/Loise Wambugu
Julius Kamiri Ndaini taking oath of office at the Nyeri County Assembly. PHOTO/Loise Wambugu

Everything is possible if you are willing to put in the work. This is evident from the story of one Julius Kamiri Ndaini whose unflinching determination saw him rise from a shamba boy to becoming Konyu Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA).

Born and raised in a very humble background in Konyu, Mathira constituency, Kamiri recalls that he had to do menial jobs in order to pay his school fees.

Upon completion of his primary education, he joined Giakanja Boys' High school where he scored a B plain in his final examinations.

However, after completing, he was unable to get his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) certificate since he had huge school fees arrears that had accumulated for several years.

He had to stay out for 13 years before he could further his education after High School due to financial problems.

During the period, he did, among other jobs, serving as a Shamba boy and saved the little he was paid to cater for his college fees.

"After completion of my primary school education, I joined Giakanja Boys' High school and after much struggle, I cleared high school and scored good grades but I could not further my education due to lack of fees," he told K24 Digital.

"I became a shamba boy and later started touting for over two years before I transitioned into a casual labourer at a local factory and finally got a job as a subordinate staff at St Mary's hospital. All this time, I was saving to pursue nursing," he explained.

Through his hard work, zeal, and determination, Kamiri was able to join the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) in 2013 where he was later employed as a nurse. He would join Tumutumu Mission Hospital afterward.

He recounted that his passion for leadership developed when he was elected as a student leader during his college days.

In the run-up to the 2022 general election, he reflected that he resonated with the bottom-up economic model and felt the urge to serve the people of his ward in the Nyeri County Assembly.

He however lost in the UDA party primaries before luckily clinching the ticket later after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua was appointed to be president Ruto's running mate hence dropping his bid for Mathira Parliamentary seat and the UDA ticket given to Eric Wamumbi who had acquired the Konyu ward ticket. That’s how Kamiri was handed the ticket.

"My desire to become an MCA and serve my people only became successful after the now Mathira MP dropped his bid for the Konyu ward seat. I was lucky to secure the UDA ticket as I had not passed during the party nominations,” Kamiri Said.

And after he was sworn in at the County Assembly of Nyeri, Kamiri could not hide his joy as he recounted how far he has come and his hope to serve his people well.

He says health will be his first priority as many public facilities lack machines and equipment that are currently only available in private.

"My desire is to uplift the lives of my people especially those who are less privileged. Health will be on my top list to ensure that public hospitals offer good services as they are more affordable to the people,” he said.

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