The troubled government career of Walter Mongare ‘Nyambane’
On April 30, 2024, a leaked memo from the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs to all director generals, heads of missions and heads of departments, divisions and units attached to the ministry revealed that former comedian Walter Mongare, popularly known as Nyambane, had been sacked from his senior government job.
In the memo by Principal Secretary Korir Singoei, it emerged that Mr Mongare who had served in the capacity of Director of Programmes (Advocacy and Outreach) was no longer authorized to act in any capacity on behalf of the State Department for Foreign Affairs; and everyone copied in the memo was warned against transacting any business with him.
This marks the latest trouble in Mr Mongare’s career in government since exiting the entertainment industry where he dominated airwaves as former president, the late Daniel Arap Moi’s impersonator on the Redykulass comedy show.
Nairobi News now takes a look at his troubled career since he downed his Moi pseudo persona to pick up a another in corporate and government communications.
- In August 2023, he secured the aforementioned role in the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. The reason for his sacking is yet to be made public.
- He vied for presidency in the 2022 General Election but was bundled out of the competition due to a lack of physical degree certificate in his submissions to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission.
- Between May 2017 and June 2022, he served as the Director and Youth Advisor in the Office of the President during former president Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime. He was in charge of youth programmes and coordination in the OTP.
- Between May 2014 and May 2017, he served as a Director of Communications in Nairobi County under embattled former governor Evans Kidero. At this job, he also faced troubles when he was kicked out of his plum City Hall job when he failed to submit his academic papers, HELB clearance forms, certificates of good conduct and clearance from the Credit Reference Bureau. He was first suspended for failing to providing these legally requisite documents to work in government before he was finally shown the door in June 2016.
- Prior to working in Nairobi, he was the Communications and Diaspora Advisor to the first Kisii County governor, Mr James Ongwae.
- He served as Group Head of Radio services at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation between 2010 and 2012.
Except for the job in the Office of the President, Mr Mongare did not hold any job position for more than three years.
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