By Reuben Olita, Busia
Nairobi County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Imwatok, aka Jateso, has challenged students of Salvation Army Kolanya Girls National School to emulate his exploits despite a myriad tribulations he faced to climb up the ladder of success.
Imwatok, who toured Busia County’s top school in national exams, Salvation Army Kolanya Girls National School said he was born in Apatit village in Teso Central Sub County before seating for his KCPE where he topped to earn a place at St Paul’s Amukura High School.
“With my father having no source of income, I failed to join SPAHS. I enrolled myself at Eastleigh Secondary School, trekking for 4kms every school and back,”he told the students, teachers, and board of management.
Jateso suffered a setback when his father died while he was in form 2. That did not deter him in pursuit of exellence. He successfully completed Form 3 before hell broke lose.
Imwatok said raising money to join form four was a toll order forcing him to double task by attending school during daytime and becoming a night watchman in order to raise money for his school fees.
The efforts bore fruits when he joined Moi University after passing his “O” level exams, with flying colours.
“My decision to give my story is meant to inspire you to achieve academic excellence so that you can be like me,” Imwatok told 1187 students of the school who cheered Jateso as he narrated the challenges he underwent.
The leader of Majority said, becoming number one in Busia in 2024 KCSE and number 5 in Western Kenya is no mean achievement.
” I want you to retain that position in this year’s exams, and I will sponsor top performers and the teaching fraternity for a trip to Dubai to celebrate the unachievable performance,” he said, adding that he was also overwhelmed by the performance of Teso North Sub county which catapulted it from number 10 to position one in the county.
In a show of his love for the school, Jateso, who jetted back from Ethiopia, where elections for AUC will be held on February 15, 2025, joined the students led by Chief Principal Dr Tabitha Okama in celebrating his 40th anniversary.
It was tears of joy for form two student Vallary Blessing who coincidentally marked her birthday today. She joined Imwatok in a jig to mark their birthdays.
The school will celebrate its exemplary performance on March 7, 2025. He donated a bull for the occasion. To boost the students’ morale, Imwatok also donated 25 bales of wheat and maize floor, 1300 sanitary pads, and a similar number of bread and sodas.
Those who accompanied the majority leader included County CEC for strategic partnership Douglas Okiring, Angurai East MCA David Parapara, 2022 Busia woman rep aspirant Evelyn Ikwii, former Amukura Central MCA, Mose Baaba, ODM Teso North Secretary David Oroni Masake, organising Secretary, William Kaguru and Teso North Sub county director of education, Elizabeth Marangach and Amukura West MCA aspirant Deo Otia.
