Diborah Chepkisich Lotodo, a retired teacher who spent her childhood herding livestock and only started school at 11, after the area chief ordered that all children must attend, has earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at 78. Lotodo, who hails from West Pokot, graduated from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) on October 23, 2026.
Dr Lotodo is the widow of the late Francis Polisi Lotodo, who served during the presidency of Daniel arap Moi. Her thesis examined how psychological support mechanisms affect the rehabilitation of teenage mothers who are readmitted to secondary schools in West Pokot County.
She was the fourth born in a family of 14 children and spent her early years herding the family's livestock in the Mount Elgon region. She started school at the age of 11, after the area chief directed that all children must go to school.
Dr Lotodo briefly pursued a nursing course before switching to teaching, joining Mosoriot Teachers Training College for a certificate course. After graduating, she was posted to West Pokot County, where she taught for many years.
She later added an IT certificate and a diploma, a bachelor's degree from Tangaza University College and a master's degree from Mount Kenya University, before completing her PhD at CUEA.
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) West Pokot County Branch Executive Secretary Dorcas Cheyech Lotome congratulated Dr Lotodo on the achievement. She said it is a big milestone for the younger generation in West Pokot County and the country.
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