Simeon Nyachae
Encyclopedia
Simeon Nyachae is a Kenya
n politician and ex-minister from Kisii District
of Nyanza Province
.
family, Nyachae was fortunate that his father developed a particular liking for him, more than his elder brother James Oiruria, who apparently was less talkative and outgoing than Simon Nyachae. In 1941 his father put him in Nyanchwa Seventh-day Adventist
School and laterin 1947 he joined Kereri intermediate school. However, two years later in 1949, he joined Kisii Government African School but in 1953 just a year before he sat for the then Ordinary Level School Certificate, he withdrew from the school and was employed at his father's chief camp as a district clerk in 1954.
Thus Simon Nyachae's long career in the Civil service
began at this point. However, in 1957 Nyachae's father realised that his son would be better off with higher education and that is why he arranged for his admission to study Public administration in London. Upon his return to Kenya in 1960 Nyachae was posted as a District Officer in Kangundo Division and later returning to Churchill College, Cambridge
for a diploma course in public administration. He became a District commissioner by December 1963. Upon his return to Kenya in 1964 he went back to the Provincial administration and from this pointed through his aggressiveness, he steadily rose in the ladder within the Provincial Administration serving as Provincial Commissioner (between 1965-1979 ) and later chief secretary in the Civil Service, under the Kenyatta
and Moi
governments.
On his retirement from the civil service, Nyachae was easily one of the most prominent personalities from Kisii. When he was elected to parliament 1992 in Nyaribari Chache Constituency
this was instrumental in his entry into the Moi government as a powerful cabinet minister first for Agriculture, then 1998 for Finance.
1999 he fell out with Moi and resigned from the government after having been moved to the less influential ministry of Industry. He also left Kenya African National Union
(KANU) to join the opposition FORD People
, by then only a small party with some roots in Central Kenya and three deputies in parliament.
's Democratic Party to form the National Alliance of Kenya which then teamed up with Raila Odinga
's LDP to form the Rainbow Coalition.
During the 2002 General Elections
he did not succeed in his presidential bid but was able to enter parliament with a 14 member strong FORD-People faction after collecting all constituencies in Kisii. Ford-People was the only sizeable opposition party besides KANU in the 2002 parliament.
was facing strong opposition from his cabinet he recalled Nyachae to government as Minister for Energy and later for Roads.
On May 31, 2006 Nyachae declared intentions of retiring from politics due to his age. http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=74263
Nevertheless he ran again for the 2007 elections. This time however, the opposition wave swept his Kisii stronghold and Nyachae was not elected again as it happened to the majority of Kibaki's government ministers and nearly all Ford-People candidates.
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
n politician and ex-minister from Kisii District
Kisii District
Kisii District is a district in the Nyanza Province in southwestern Kenya. Its capital town is Kisii. The district is inhabited mostly by the Gusii people.- Subdivisions :The County has 4 electoral Constituencies:*Bonchari Constituency...
of Nyanza Province
Nyanza Province
Nyanza Province of Kenya, is one of Kenya's eight administrative provinces. It is located in the southwest part of Kenya around Lake Victoria. Nyanza includes part of the eastern edge of Lake Victoria and is inhabited predominantly by the Luo. There are also Bantu-speaking tribes such as the...
.
Biography
He was born in Nyaribari location on 06 Feb 1932 to the then powerful colonial chief of the location Musa Nyandusi. Nyachae's earlier exposure to western education was facilitated by his own father, himself a mission educated graduate who used his strong influence and acquittance to the colonial administrators to be appointed chief. Born into a large polygamousPolygamy
Polygamy is a marriage which includes more than two partners...
family, Nyachae was fortunate that his father developed a particular liking for him, more than his elder brother James Oiruria, who apparently was less talkative and outgoing than Simon Nyachae. In 1941 his father put him in Nyanchwa Seventh-day Adventist
Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a Protestant Christian denomination distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the original seventh day of the Judeo-Christian week, as the Sabbath, and by its emphasis on the imminent second coming of Jesus Christ...
School and laterin 1947 he joined Kereri intermediate school. However, two years later in 1949, he joined Kisii Government African School but in 1953 just a year before he sat for the then Ordinary Level School Certificate, he withdrew from the school and was employed at his father's chief camp as a district clerk in 1954.
Thus Simon Nyachae's long career in the Civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
began at this point. However, in 1957 Nyachae's father realised that his son would be better off with higher education and that is why he arranged for his admission to study Public administration in London. Upon his return to Kenya in 1960 Nyachae was posted as a District Officer in Kangundo Division and later returning to Churchill College, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
for a diploma course in public administration. He became a District commissioner by December 1963. Upon his return to Kenya in 1964 he went back to the Provincial administration and from this pointed through his aggressiveness, he steadily rose in the ladder within the Provincial Administration serving as Provincial Commissioner (between 1965-1979 ) and later chief secretary in the Civil Service, under the Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyatta
Jomo Kenyattapron.] served as the first Prime Minister and President of Kenya. He is considered the founding father of the Kenyan nation....
and Moi
Daniel arap Moi
Daniel Toroitich arap Moi was the President of Kenya from 1978 until 2002.Daniel arap Moi is popularly known to Kenyans as 'Nyayo', a Swahili word for 'footsteps'...
governments.
On his retirement from the civil service, Nyachae was easily one of the most prominent personalities from Kisii. When he was elected to parliament 1992 in Nyaribari Chache Constituency
Nyaribari Chache Constituency
Nyaribare Chache is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of four constituencies in Kisii District. The constituency was established for the 1988 elections.- Members of Parliament :- Wards :...
this was instrumental in his entry into the Moi government as a powerful cabinet minister first for Agriculture, then 1998 for Finance.
1999 he fell out with Moi and resigned from the government after having been moved to the less influential ministry of Industry. He also left Kenya African National Union
Kenya African National Union
The Kenya African National Union, better known as KANU is a political party which ruled Kenya for nearly 40 years after its independence from British colonial rule in 1963, until its electoral loss at the end of 2002...
(KANU) to join the opposition FORD People
Forum for the Restoration of Democracy-People
The Forum for the Restoration of Democracy–People is a political party in Kenya.At the 2002 general election, the party won 14 out of 210 elected seats.At the 2002 presidential elections, the party supported Simeon Nyachae, who came third with 5.9%....
, by then only a small party with some roots in Central Kenya and three deputies in parliament.
In Ford-People
Nyachae's plans to run for presidency did not find wide support as the main opposition groups cooperated with Mwai KibakiMwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...
's Democratic Party to form the National Alliance of Kenya which then teamed up with Raila Odinga
Raila Odinga
Raila Amollo Odinga , also popularly known to Kenyans as Agwambo, is a Kenyan politician, currently serving as the Prime Minister of Kenya in a coalition government. He has served as a Member of Parliament for Langata since 1992, was Minister of Energy from 2001 to 2002, and was Minister of Roads,...
's LDP to form the Rainbow Coalition.
During the 2002 General Elections
Elections in Kenya
Elections in Kenya in recent years have been cause for violence and fragmentation, such as during the presidential elections of 2007. Though a multiparty democracy since 1992 and holding elections since 1962, the country has serious institutional problems which make it hard for elections to be...
he did not succeed in his presidential bid but was able to enter parliament with a 14 member strong FORD-People faction after collecting all constituencies in Kisii. Ford-People was the only sizeable opposition party besides KANU in the 2002 parliament.
Minister under Kibaki
When president Kibaki's NARC-Coalition started to crumble the support of FORD-People became most welcome and in 2004, when president Mwai KibakiMwai Kibaki
Mwai Kibaki is the current and third President of the republic of Kenya.Kibaki was previously Vice President of Kenya for ten years from 1978–1988 and also held cabinet ministerial positions, including a widely acclaimed stint as Minister for Finance , Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for...
was facing strong opposition from his cabinet he recalled Nyachae to government as Minister for Energy and later for Roads.
On May 31, 2006 Nyachae declared intentions of retiring from politics due to his age. http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=2&newsid=74263
Nevertheless he ran again for the 2007 elections. This time however, the opposition wave swept his Kisii stronghold and Nyachae was not elected again as it happened to the majority of Kibaki's government ministers and nearly all Ford-People candidates.