By Agnes Orang’o
Dr Charles Kilonzo, a former medical doctor, is currently enjoying his new work as a school director/ teacher, a profession he hadn’t imagined himself in during his youth.
Born 65 years ago in Tala in Matungulu Constituency, Dr Kilonzo knew his destiny was in medicine but that desire changed later on.
When Education News caught up with him inside his office at the heart of Tala town, Dr Kilonzo went through his journey as a doctor, teacher and even a politician.
Outside his office, a political campaign procession passes and he draws the curtain to check it out with nostalgia.
“I miss that but I cannot go back to politics”, he says as he turns to us with a warm smile before getting back to his seat.
Dr Kilonzo says before his shift to education, he worked at Kenyatta National Hospital as Deputy Chief in the Department of Physiotherapy where he represented orthopedic technologies, occupational therapies and physiotherapy in the board of management at the hospital.
“I was overworked and underpaid. The hospital had rented us posh houses worth Ksh 70,000 but our gross salary was Ksh 60,000. After deductions, we were left with about Ksh 40,000 which was demoralizing so I chose to resign,” he explained.
Dr Kilonzo’s wife, Eunice Mbinya who worked as the matron at Kenyatta hospital, had resigned a few months before him to take charge of the family business.
“I had started Tala Academy in 1989 which was being managed by workers who were stealing from me. I realized the earnings from the school were way more than what I earned as a doctor hence I decided to concentrate on my school. In 2000, I started Kangundo Junior Academy and five years later started Kangundo Girls and Kangundo Boys,” he said.
He added that the population in the schools was big since there were few schools around.
Dr Kilonzo also resigned from Kenyatta Hospital due to his political ambitions.
He vied for the Kangundo parliamentary seat on a KANU ticket but stepped down for Joseph Kimeu Ngutu.
In 2002, he vied for the same seat on a National Alliance Party ticket and came third. In 2013, he vied and came fifth and in 2017, he vied on a Chama Cha Uzalendo party ticket and came forth before throwing in the towel for good.
Dr. Kilonzo completed his primary education in 1971 and was selected to join Jamhuri High School but his admission letter was revoked, forcing him to try securing a chance at Kinyui High School.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t admitted at Kinyui High School either given other students were given his slot.
“I spent two terms out of school and despite intervention from the government, the school refused to admit it. Tired of trying to seek admission, I secured a chance at Sengani High School in third term,” he said.
He says his class had weak students who would mock him for his good performance in CPE.
“Although I had not been in school for two terms, while at home, I used to read my siblings’ books. At the end of third term, I performed averagely and proceeded to form two,” he said.
He added that after he sat for his Kenya Junior Secondary Education exams, he was ready to join good performing schools like Kabaa, Machakos Boys and Tala High School but the government abolished the policy forcing him to continue his studies at Sengani High School.
He sat for the East Africa Certificate of Education in 1975 and got division 2 of 26. The following year, he enrolled in Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) for a certificate in nursing before proceeding to do a diploma in Physiotherapy and emerging among the best students in his class.
He was posted to Kapsabet Hospital as head of department until 1982 when he went back to KMTC to teach.
“I was an untrained teacher who later joined Kenyatta University to do Diploma in Education for six months. I taught anatomy and physiology at KMTC since until 1989,” he narrated.
In 1990, since he already had two diplomas, he received a scholarship to do a Masters course in Public Health, with a major in Epidemiology and Minor Community Health at Northern Illinois University.
“The university is ranked number 28 in USA. I emerged the best student in the public health faculty and returned to Kenya in 1993 to teach at KMTC,” he adds.
After a year of teaching at KMTC, he left to work at Kenyatta National Hospital as Deputy Chief in the department of physiotherapy before resigning to manage his schools.
He worked as vice chairman of the board at Kangundo Level Four hospital for six years until 2018.
When asked if he regrets any of his decisions, Dr. Kilonzo said that his only regret was not going back to school to study something else.
“I should have studied law since I was smart and young and I had a lot of time to better my future,” he laments with a chuckle.
His advice to people is that nothing should stop them from planning their future.
