Kisii: Emenwa Senior School mourns death of former principal

Parents of Emenwa Senior School in Bobasi Constituency are mourning the death of their former Principal, Davis Ombasa Monyimbo, describing him as a man who spoke a few words but walked many in his devoted life of moulding learners.

Monyimbo, who served at Emenwa for years before his transfer, died on Monday after a short illness, plunging the entire Masige East Ward and the larger teaching fraternity into deep shock.

Led by Masige East MCA Michael Motume, parents, teachers, former students and friends gathered at his home in Emenwa village yesterday to condole with the family, terming his untimely death a big blow not only to the teaching fraternity but to the entire community that knew him.

“Your dedication and unwavering zeal stood conspicuously in the community as you shaped the legacy of excellence you left,” read part of the MCA's message of condolence to the bereaved family.

MCA Motume said Monyimbo was not just a teacher but an institution in himself. He said the late principal understood that a school head is more than an administrator — he is a father, a counsellor, a disciplinarian and a vision bearer.

At Emenwa, his footprint remains visible. When he arrived, the school was struggling with low enrolment and poor morale. He turned it around through sheer personal sacrifice — waking up at 5am to supervise preps, staying late to counsel wayward boys and girls, using his own money to buy revision books for needy candidates, and walking from home to home in the hills of Bobasi to convince parents to bring their children back to school.

“He never shouted. He whispered and we listened,” said Mama Prisca Nyaboke, a parent whose two daughters were taught by Monyimbo. “He could look at a child and tell if she had not eaten at home. That was the kind of principal he was.”

Former students described him as a selfless teacher who believed that a head of an institution must lead by example. He planted trees with students, he dug the school shamba with them, he ate githeri with them in the dining hall. He taught them that excellence is not about big English, but about consistency, humility and fear of God.

“The best principals are not those who build storied buildings, but those who build people. Monyimbo built people,” said a retired teacher at Emenwa. “Many of the boys and girls he taught are now teachers, nurses and police officers because he refused to give up on them.”

Burial arrangements are underway, with the family indicating he will be laid to rest on Friday at his ancestral home in Emenwa.

May the soul of Mwalimu Davis Ombasa Monyimbo rest in eternal peace.