As Education CS George Magoha read through the list of top 15 students who had performed exceptionally well in the 2020 Kenya Certificate of secondary Education results – one thing stood out – there were no students from Starehe Boys Centre.
Kenya High School, Alliance High School, Murang’a High School, Agoro Sare High School, Kapsabet Boys High School, Maranda High School, Machakos High School divided the top spoils among themselves.
A decade ago – this was the playing ground for Starehe Boys who had for years cut a niche as a rigorous academic giant.
The school was founded in 1959 by the late Dr. Geoffrey Griffin and other two co- founders, the late Geoffrey Geturo and the late Joseph Gikubu.
Griffins died in 2005 – and according to information in the school’s website – left a last message to the students in form of a letter:
My dear boys,
I have had a fruitful and happy life, and I have learnt one great lesson that I would like to share with you. I hope that Starehe will always teach this lesson – for as long as it does so, it will remain a great school.
This world is full of people who do their duty half-heartedly, grudgingly and poorly. Don’t be like them. Whatever is your duty, do it as fully and perfectly as you possibly can. And when you have finished your duty, go on to spare some time and talent in service for less fortunate people, not for any reward at all, but because it is the right thing to do.
Follow my advice in this and I promise you that your lives will be happy and successful.
May God bless you all.
Made giants
It was here that former TV anchor and current Jubilee Secretary General Raphael Tuju sang Natulenge Juu while in shorts.
Former presidential candidate Peter Kenneth and his running mate in the 2013 elections Ronald Osumba also chewed books at Starehe.
The current Safaricom CEO Peter Ndegwa who is an accountant and heads the largest telecommunications company in the country with approximately 32 million subscribers was also a Starehe.
Then there is Nimrod Joseph Onyango Omondi Hellon – a jazz musician, and head of the Finger of God Church, and co-founder of the Placenta Party.
There are many other alumni who are making great contributions to society – but who have never been in the limelight. Many are medical doctors, lawyers, teachers, software developers, engineers, inventors, nurses and many more.
Starehe left a mark in many lives – still it does.