HAROLD KIPCHUMBA
AGE | 61 YEARS |
GENDER | MALE |
OCCUPATION | POLITICIAN |
Harold Kipchumba is a 61-year-old Kenyan disability rights advocate, polio immunisation ambassador, and a politician who was announced as the newly nominated Member of Parliament on July 25.
The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) gazetted his name as the replacement for John Mbadi to fill a National Assembly nomination slot left vacant in 2024.
Born and raised in Baringo County, Kipchumba contracted polio at a young age, an experience that shaped his lifelong advocacy for people with disabilities and public health.
Despite severe mobility challenges, he rose to national prominence through resilience, leadership, and service
Educational Background
Harold Kipchumba began his education at Nyabondo Home for the Disabled after being abandoned by his parents due to his disability.
He later attended Lenana School (formerly Duke of York School) in Nairobi from 1980 to 1985, becoming the only disabled student in his class.
Although he was admitted to Kenyatta College, Harold Kipchumba did not complete his studies at the time.
Years later, he furthered his education in development studies at Kimmage Development Centre in Ireland.
Career information
Kipchumba’s career spans public health advocacy, non-profit leadership, and politics.
With his dreams of joining the Kenya Defence Forces, Harold attended a KDF recruitment in 1986 where he was disqualified due to his disability.
He began as a Programmes Officer at the Initiative on Disability and Development from 1998 to 2002.
He later became a CEO from 2008 to 2012 and an Executive Director from 2010 at Bare Care Centre, a disability-focused organisation.
His work during the 2013 polio outbreak in Somalia and Kenya gained him national recognition.
In March 2013, he was nominated as a Senator representing persons with disabilities, although his term was cut short by a court ruling five months later.
In 2015, he was named UN Person of the Year in Kenya for his polio immunisation advocacy.
As of 2024, Kipchumba was poised for a parliamentary comeback, following IEBC’s confirmation that he was next in line to replace John Mbadi.
On July 25, 2025, Harold Kipchumba was selected by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to replace National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi as a nominated Member of Parliament under the ODM party list.
Family
Harold Kipchumba is married to Dorothy, and they have three children.
In April 2013, Kipchumba and his son Hillary were involved in a serious road accident along the Nakuru-Naivasha highway.
While Kipchumba sustained eye injuries, Hillary suffered severe trauma and required extended treatment.
The incident added to the challenges faced by the family, which has continued to navigate personal hardship alongside Kipchumba’s public responsibilities. Despite these challenges, he remains committed to advocacy and national service.
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