Kapsabet High School is a top-performing national boys’ secondary school in Kenya, renowned for its outstanding academic excellence and a proud legacy that spans over 100 years.
The school was founded in 1925 as the Government African Schools (GAS) in Kapsabet and is among the oldest high schools in the country.
Kapsabet High School was established to cater specifically to African students at a time when education was still racially segregated under British colonial rule.
Over the past century, Kapsabet High School has undergone significant transformations, and the original campus now houses Kapsabet High Primary School.
The school boasts a distinguished list of alumni, including Kenya’s current President, William Ruto; the nation’s second President, the late Daniel Arap Moi; former Minister Kipruto Arap Kirwa; former Minister Henry Kosgey; and Senator Samson Cherarkey.
Notable Kenyans Who Studied at Kapsabet High School
The following are notable Kenyans who studied at Kapsabet High School.
William Ruto
Kenya’s fifth President, William Samoei Ruto, started his education journey at Kamagut Primary. He then joined Wareng Secondary School, and later Kapsabet Boys High School for his A levels.
He later joined the University of Nairobi, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Botany and Zoology in 1990.
He returned to the same university years later and earned a Master of Science in 2011 and a PhD in 2018.
In 1997, Ruto was first elected to Parliament as the MP for Eldoret North.
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He served as an assistant minister in the Office of the President from 1998 to 2002, when he was elevated to cabinet as Minister for Home Affairs following the sacking of George Saitoti by President Moi after disagreements over the 2002 succession.
From 2013 to 2022, William Ruto served as Kenya’s Deputy President after being elected as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s running mate.
Ruto has also served as Minister of Agriculture and Higher Education.
He was among the who opposed the referendums on the new Constitution in 2005 and 2010. After serving as Deputy President, Ruto assumed office on September 13, 2022.
Daniel Arap Moi
Kenya’s second President, Daniel Arap Moi, attended Kapsabet High School between 1935 and 1942.
Moi later enrolled at the Tambach Teachers College after the government denied him admission to Alliance High School.
He taught at Tambach Teachers College and graduated at 21. Moi later rose to become a deputy headmaster and, within a year, the headmaster.
Moi joined politics in 1957 as one of the 8 black Legislative Council of Kenya (Legco) members.
He was also a delegate to the Lancaster House Conference that negotiated Kenya’s independence from the UK.
After independence, Moi served in several departments, including home affairs, before being appointed as Vice-President in 1967 upon the dismissal of Oginga Odinga.
In 1978, Kenyatta died, allowing Daniel Toroitich Arap Moi to rise to the presidency. He ruled for 24 years, making him the longest-serving president in history.
Many primary, secondary, and tertiary institutions are also named after him. He was also famous for the “Maziwa ya Nyayo”, a school feeding program where school children were given free milk.
Moi died in February 2020 and was interred at his home in Kabarak, Nakuru.
Henry Kosgey
Henry Kosgey began his secondary education at Kapsabet Boys High School and completed his studies in 1960.
In 1969, he joined the University of Nairobi, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1972.
He later pursued postgraduate studies in the United States and obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Michigan in 1976.
In 2020, he attained a PhD, 48 years after his bachelor’s degree.
Henry Kosgey began his professional career in 1977, when he joined the East African Community (EAC) Secretariat, where he worked in the industrial coordination department until the community’s collapse.
In 1979, he was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tinderet Constituency under the Kenya African National Union (KANU).
From 1983 to 2007, Henry held the Tinderet seat for multiple terms, making him one of the longest-serving MPs in Kenya.
He also served as Chairman of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) National Elections Board during the 2007-08 election period, overseeing the party’s national nominations and electoral strategy.
Also Read: Why Isaac Ruto Could Be Fired After State House Meeting
Samson Cherarkey
Cherargei received his primary education at Cheptarit Primary School in Mosoriot from 1996 to 2002.
He later attended Kapsabet Boys’ High School in Nandi County for his secondary education from 2003 to 2006.
After completing his high school studies, he pursued higher education at the prestigious Moi University School of Law in Eldoret.
In 2011, he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree with honors and later enrolled at the Kenya School of Law for his Postgraduate Diploma in Law and successfully qualified as an advocate of the High Court of Kenya.
He is the current Senator for Nandi County under the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.
Kipruto Arap Kirwa
Kipruto Arap Kirwa attended Mang’u High School for his O-Levels (Ordinary Level) from 1977 to 1980, followed by A-Levels (Advanced Level) from 1981 to 1982 at the Kapsabet High School.
Kirwa earned a Diploma in Agricultural Engineering between 1983 and 1986 from the Jomo Kenyatta College of Agriculture and Technology (now JKUAT).
He holds a Master of Arts in International Studies from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Science in Applied Management and Leadership from The Management University of Africa.
From 1993 to 1997, he served as an MP affiliated with the Kenya African National Union (KANU), and in his second term, he was an MP affiliated with the National Rainbow Coalition (NARC).
From 1998 to 2002, also served as Assistant Minister in the Cabinet.
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