Fierce rivals: Khalwale's journey attending both Musingu and Kakamega High
This story has significance for readers across Kenya and beyond.
- Senator Boni Khalwale began his secondary education at Musingu High School in 1975, walking to class barefoot while his mother sold traditional brew to pay his fees
- The politician made a rare move and crossed over to fierce rivals Kakamega High School
- The Bullfighter's journey through both schools in Kakamega county gave him a unique bond with two institutions whose students rarely see eye to eye
In Kakamega county, few rivalries run as deep as the one between Musingu High School and Kakamega High School.
Their Scorpions and Green Commandos have clashed on football pitches for generations.
Bruno Oduor, an alumnus of Kakamega High, attests to the sizzling rivalry.
“We inherited it and would even find ourselves on opposite sides with former primary school friends who went to Musingu – there’s no love lost between the two institutions.”
How did Khalwale attend Musingu and Kakamega High?
Yet Senator Boni Khalwale, the politician nicknamed the Bullfighter, holds a rare distinction: he is an alumnus of both.
Khalwale's secondary school journey began at Musingu High School in 1975, where he spent his O-Level years until 1978.
He came from a humble background in Malinya village and often attended school without shoes.
His fees depended entirely on his mother's income from selling traditional brew; this was a sacrifice that shaped his outlook from an early age.
Life at Musingu was not just about surviving the financial strain.
The young Khalwale made a name for himself on the track, winning the 5,000 metres year after year and cementing his reputation as a fierce competitor long before politics entered the picture.
After finishing his O-Levels, he made a rare move. In 1979, he enrolled at Kakamega High School, the very institution Musingu considers its greatest rival, to complete his A-Levels.
He stayed there through 1980, quietly adapting to a new school culture while carrying the experiences of the other school firmly within him.
That dual identity gave Khalwale an understanding of what each school means to its students, the pride, the passion, and the banter that define the rivalry from both sides.
From Kakamega High, he went on to study medicine at the University of Nairobi from 1981 to 1987, the discipline he had built at both schools laying the groundwork for a demanding academic programme.
His connection to Musingu and Kakamega High has not faded over the decades.
During his time as Ikolomani MP, he supported Musingu with tangible contributions, including an administration block and a school bus. He also identifies as an old boy of Kakamega High School.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
Reporting originally appeared via TUKO. Read the full source for additional context.