- Teachers in Kisii and Nyamira counties are mourning the death of veteran school principal Gilbert Ombaba.
- Colleagues remember him for transforming schools, mentoring teachers and championing academic excellence.
- Tributes continue to pour in from education stakeholders, former students and professional associations.
The teaching fraternity in Kisii and Nyamira counties is mourning the death of Enkinda Senior School Principal Gilbert Ombaba.
Before his transfer to Enkinda, Ombaba served for more than a decade as the principal of Turwa Secondary School in Nyamache Sub-county, where he transformed the institution through improvements in academics, infrastructure and sports.
Under his leadership, Turwa rose from a struggling rural school to become one of the top-performing schools in the sub-county. KCSE mean scores improved steadily, new classrooms and a science laboratory were constructed, and the school’s football and athletics teams became regulars at county and regional competitions.
Teachers who served under him, led by Dennis Onyinkwa, described him as fatherly, approachable and empathetic.
“He was a father figure to us in the entire institution as he handled it like a household, but never did he compromise teaching professionalism,” said Onyinkwa. “He knew every teacher and student by name. If you had a problem at home, he would call you to his office and find a solution. Yet in class and in duty, he was firm. Results and discipline came first.”
Other colleagues remembered him for his early morning rounds, his insistence on proper lesson preparation and his commitment to mentoring young teachers, many of whom have since become principals and deputy principals across Kisii and Nyamira counties.
At Enkinda Senior School in Nyamira County, where he had been posted two years ago, staff said he brought the same spirit of transformation. Within a short time, he had initiated a school feeding programme, lobbied for desks and helped improve the school’s KCSE mean score. Students affectionately referred to him as “Baba Shule” because of his habit of walking around the school compound checking on them.
Tributes pour in
Family sources said Ombaba died on Thursday night at Nyamira Level 5 Hospital after a short illness. He had been admitted for four days with complications that relatives said began with severe stomach pains and fatigue. He was 54.
Burial arrangements are ongoing. He leaves behind a widow, three children and a legacy of schools he helped build through strong leadership, discipline and commitment to education.
Tributes have continued to pour in from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT), the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), Boards of Management (BOMs) and former students who credit him for their success.
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“Mwalimu Ombaba believed that a school is only as strong as the people in it,” Onyinkwa added. “We have lost a builder.”
May his soul rest in peace.
By Enock Okongó
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