President William Ruto has installed 36-year-old Dr Bernard William Chitunga as the chancellor of the Co-operative University of Kenya, becoming the youngest Chancellor ever appointed in the nation’s history.
Born on August 2, 1988, in the verdant landscapes of Chegulo village, Malava, Kakamega County, to a family with deep roots in education and faith, Dr Chitunga’s inspiring journey from Western Kenya to the global development stage unfolds as a narrative of resilience, intellectual prowess, and pan-African vision.
Raised in an environment that cherished education and Seventh-Day Adventist principles, he cultivated a foundation of discipline, leadership, and service that would define his extraordinary path.
Dr Chitunga’s professional odyssey began, in a poetic full circle, at The Co-operative College of Kenya (now The Co-operative University of Kenya) in 2011, where he first honed his corporate acumen.
From these beginnings, he navigated impactful transitions into the banking sector, distinguishing himself at Chase Bank and later Barclays Bank of Kenya in agribusiness finance, before ascending to become Africa Chief Operating Officer for Olivado Group — a global leader in avocado oil production spanning three continents.
In 2018, Dr Chitunga emerged formidably among 11,000 applicants worldwide to join the prestigious Young Professional Program at the African Development Bank (AfDB). At AfDB, he carved a transformative legacy spearheading the $750 Million AFAWA Risk Sharing Mechanism, unlocking private sector financing for women-led enterprises across the continent.
He also led the establishment of the $100 Million Gender Equality Trust Fund and the $76 Million Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi), creating pathways for women’s economic empowerment.
He also featured in the management of the Kenya Rural Transformation Centers Digital Platform Project, weaving digital innovation into agricultural value chains and empowering smallholder farmers through cooperative structures
Before his appointment, Dr Chitunga served at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) in Beijing, China, as a Partnership Specialist and Secretariat for Special Funds Management, advancing sustainable infrastructure development for 110 member countries.
His academic journey began in the humble classrooms of Chegulo Primary School and later Kakamega High School, culminating in a Bachelor of Science in Disaster Preparedness and Environmental Technology from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology (MMUST).
He also has an MBA from UGSM Monarch Business School, Switzerland, a Master’s in Global Business and Sustainability (Social Entrepreneurship) from Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy, a Postgraduate qualification in Development Strategy and Governance from the University of Bradford, UK, fellowship training at the School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute, Italy, and a PhD in Management from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Beyond his technical and leadership achievements, Dr Chitunga has remained grounded in service to community and nation.
He has held roles such as Board Director at inABLE.org (a Washington DC-based non-profit enhancing digital accessibility for the blind in Africa), Board Steward at the African Women Entrepreneurship Cooperative (AWEC) based in New York and is the President and Chairperson of the Association of Kenyans at AfDB and Kenyans living in Côte d’Ivoire.
His mantra, “Son of Chegulo and Africa,” reflects a deep, authentic connection to his roots and an unwavering commitment to uplifting Africa’s future.
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