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A Kenyan Mukurino has caught the eyes of Kenyans after his photos went viral on social media. David Waigwa Wachira, 32, is an employee of the World Bank. He has been working at the Bretton Woods institution for the last four years and is currently a public sector specialist in the Governance Global Practice sector.
David is also a part-time lecturer of Public Policy in the Political Science department at Southern Methodist University (SMU). He has also been a teaching fellow at the University of North Texas and an assistant professor of History and Economics at Wiley College.
David hails from Nyahururu, Nyandarua County and holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a master’s degree in History from Tarleton State University and a PhD in Public Administration and Management (Public Finance and Public Management) from the University of North Texas.
When not working, Wachira likes to play golf, work on a ranch in Texas and drink his tea from an enamel cup because it reminds him of “how far we have come and how far God has brought us.”
Eunice Kaby said Wachira wrote on social media, "he’s the best example of people who have overcome their past and focused on making the world a better place for everyone to fit in and enjoy."
"He has shown that what we see as barriers are just stepping stones to make it in the global arena, Lupita and now Wachira are a reason for us to smile." Francis Wambui noted.
Naphtali Katheu called on the Kenyan government to invest more in the youth to ensure they are equipped for such opportunities.
"With better services, better education and opportunities, Kenya can be ranked highly in the international arena and I look forward to such a day."
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Thank you Hakika for the elaboration. I might add it's time we stopped being awed every time we hear of a Kenyan working for a famous organization - many are quietly succeeding in their own meaningful ways.
Thank you SO MUCH for this comment!
It is very true that his narrative as having grown up in the US with a 2 parent household (successful academic for a father and a present/devoted mother) makes a BIG BIG difference. It is no surprise that his sisters are also PhD-trained academics!
I am frustrated by narratives like these that make it seem like a "rags to riches" story when there are many unseen privileges and social capital that has given him leverage to get to this position!
I have worked with 1st generation immigrant Kenyan kids in TX, and I can tell you there are MANY barriers that exist just going from high school to college when you don't have parents who are 'in the know' ie: preparing for a college application (SAT, recommendation letters, extracurricular activities etc. etc) , surviving in white academic spaces, dealing with failure, etc. etc. etc. the list goes on.
Again, let us not take away from this Dr. and his achievements, but when we're fawning over him/these types of high achieving people, let us remember that he comes from a great, great deal of privilege!!!!
Like this is old news and does it matter he is mukurino?. The last time I checked there are many Kenyans working for the Bank ,IMF and many other Institutions in the US and around the globe , so what is the story here?
You gotta admit it's quite unique for Wachira walking off the tee down the fairway with a white garment wrapped around his head.
That is what I think is unique about him. Having that headgear in America is not easy. I guess he has been asked all kind of questions and maybe called names
No its not unique, there are Singh in Arknsas and other rural American , there are Singh in Wall street etc and Hijabi wearing women in all corners of USA. There all sorts of out of the norm individuals in US and now that I learnt from earlier post that his parents have been here long time ago and he went to school here etc, , more of the reason there is no achievement here out of the ordinary or not expected = nothing to see here. Mbona we are always so gullible
My advice to you Kaka Wachira: Please stop wearing your head gear in rural USA. Why? Members of the US terrorist organizations (KKK, and Neo Nazis) might think that you are an agent or a member of the late Osama Bin Laden! These terrorists might not be aware that Akurino are christians like them and your "foreign religion" has nothing in common with the muslims
@Msema Ukweli...I second year.
A year or two ago, an ignorant veteran killed 7 Singhs yelling anti-Islam slurs in their Temple in Milwaukee Wisconsin. The twat did not know the difference between an emirati, afghani or singh....to him they were all rag-heads and anti-American and had to die.
And to add, Jews have been walking around in their yamulkes around here for a looong time.
This article is needlessly lacking content. "A Kenyan Mukurino has caught the eyes of Kenyans after his photos went viral on social media". This is not the first time this successful young man has been in the news. What this article neglected to say is that the young man did not just happen to come from Nyahururu to success in the US. His success can actually be attributed to his very ambitious dad who has been a successful professor and also leads a church in the US. The young man might have been born in Kenya but he has grown and studied in the US most of his life in the footsteps of his dad Dr. Waigwa Wachira