Nairobi County Communications director Walter Mong’are has been suspended in a move that shines the spotlight on his academic and professional credentials.
A letter written to Mong’are by the County Secretary Dr Robert Ayisi dated May 3rd 2016 indicates that the former radio personality has yet to submit his papers as required by the public service recruitment almost two years since he was employed.
To show how serious the issue is, Mr Mong’are was issued with a second later dated May 3, 2016, by the Secretary/CEO of the County Public Service Board, Mr Meshack Guto, requiring him to submit his academic credentials, HELB clearance form, certificate of good conduct and a certified copy of clearance from the credit reference bureau by May 11, 2016.
Mr Ayisi advised Mong’are to comply with conditions stipulated in his letter of appointment, failure to which his employment will be terminated.
It is understandable why Mong’are is reluctant to provide his papers: there’s nothing much to write home about except for his experience in radio.
First he has no degree since he was expelled from Kenyatta University in 2000 where he was studying fine art in the school of Visual and Performing Arts. He then went fulltime into comedy during the heydays of the Redykyulass, alongside John Kiarie and Tony Njuguna.
Nyambane opted to study for a certificate in advanced graphics at Kul Graphics, which upon completion, secured him a lecturer job at Buruburu Institute of Fine Art
Walter Mong’are rose to fame as a comedian in the Redykyulass comic TV show before working for various radio stations including KISS FM as a co-host of Caroline Mutoko. Mong’are later worked for Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, Standard Group and Nation Media Group in various capacities.
His rise was purely on the goodwill from the comedy and Kiss FM morning show where he was inducted into radio programming and management. It was some kind of bubble which started busting when he was fired from media and ended up at Kisii County as communications director.
‘They taught me how to survive’
“I was in Kenyatta University for more than 1,000 days. That forms the foundation of my life as it is now,” he told Standard Digital last year. “In short, what you learn at the university is manifested in the learning days and not the single day of graduation. That is the invaluable foundation that my lecturers at Kenyatta University gave me. They taught me how to survive out here and be the best.”
As always, he threw in some humour. “Besides, on a lighter note, Kenyatta University gave me a wife and, as a result, a child.”
Mr Mong’are joined Nairobi County in 2014 after he was pushed out from Kisii County where it is said he fell out with Governor James Ongwae and most of his officers due to insubordination barely a year into his job. While at Kisii he told the Governor Monthly magazine that he had 13 years’ experience in communication and his comedian side actually boosted his communication work.
“There is no conflict between ‘Walter’ and the ‘Nyambane’ brands. I’m never Nyambane when Walter and vice versa,” he is quoted by the magazine as saying. “The staff at the (Kisii) County and elsewhere appreciate me as a leader and one of their own success stories.”
The public is largely familiar with his alter ego – Nyambane –his showbiz and entertainment brand. But this once-powerful brand faces extinction if he fails to save his job at City Hall. While he still retains he comedian alter ego, comedy has changed in Kenya since Redykyulass days and may struggle to fit in forums like Churchil Show or Mshamba.
Mong’are has always defended his lack of university education, arguing in favour of natural instincts and experience. “At Kenyatta University I had acquired a lot of communication and public relations skills and that explains why I have been a successful communications specialist working for multiple multinational media houses and leading counties,” he told Standard Digital.
His take on education: People go to school to acquire the right knowledge and skills for their careers. At the same time, skills can be learned in many ways. A university degree is a good thing but should not really be the benchmark. We have many people, international icons who have no degrees as all. That said, when the opportunity presents itself again, I will go back to school to boost my knowledge.”
And that, by the way, is not ridiculous!
Here is the letter
When a hyena wants to eat it’s cubs it’s first accuses them of smelling like sheep. …..so they want to sacrifice nyambane from a distance