When the Chief Principal of St Mary's Kibabii National School in Bungoma, Mr Nicodemus Ogeto, successfully lobbied for the school to be granted National School status in 2025, little did he know that this would be the genesis of his tribulations. Political pressure mounts at St Mary’s Kibabii National School in Bungoma as local leaders push for the removal of Principal Nicodemus Ogeto, triggering tension among students and church leadership.
Since January 2026, a powerful cartel of Bukusu politicians has been spearheading the forcible removal of Mr Ogeto, simply because he doesn't belong to the Bukusu sub-tribe's local community.
The intention of these virulent politicians is to install Mr John Omurunga Wafula, a local community member who is currently the headteacher of Goseta Boys High School, Trans Nzoia County.
The threats have been so intense that the students, who seem frustrated by the political drama, almost staged a demonstration last night in defence of their principal, Mr Ogeto.
It took the wisdom of the Principal, together with that of the Bishop of the Bungoma Catholic Diocese, Rt. Rev. Bishop Mark Kadima, to calm the impending student demonstrations.
Bishop Kadima has stood with Mr Ogeto, vowing to support his stay. According to the Bishop, Mr Ogeto has revamped the school, which had fallen into the pits.
When Mr Ogeto joined the school as principal, it had a low enrolment of just 800 students due to its poor public image.
So bad was the discipline of the school that in July 2015, the school was awash in the mainstream media because 19 boys were caught in a homosexual scandal. In March 2018, just before Mr Ogeto became the principal, four students were arrested by the police after they sneaked into the nearby Cardinal Otunga Girls' High School.
Since 2023, the school has been recording impressive performances in academics, sports and other competitive activities, such as music and drama.
Currently, they are the Bungoma soccer champions.
The school now has an enrolment of 3,000 students, an indication of positive progression.
The Ministry of Education should intervene to stop political meddling in the school, as this will return it to its dark days.
If this political drama is not stopped, it will spiral into a national catastrophe of politicians demanding the appointment of their kin and kith as heads of local public institutions.
There are other murmurs similar to these at St Mary's Kibabii Boys High School, about the same local politicians demanding the appointment of a Vice Chancellor to head Kibabii University following the death of the DVC, Donald Siamba, last month.
In September 2016, local North Rift politicians stormed Moi University to protest the appointment of Professor Ayiro as acting Vice Chancellor, citing tribalism and demanding a local appointee.
The professor left in the middle of the melee, and since then, the university has been on a downward spiral toward oblivion.