Didmus Barasa: Behind the politics is an impressive CV

 

You have probably come across a photo of Didmus Wekesa Barasa fixing the roof of a house, or barefoot helping build houses or in school uniform but barefoot.

The Kimilili MP recently created a storm when he announced that he was taking a four-month sabbatical from Deputy President William Ruto’s hustler nation camp.

The first-term MP has been a close Ruto ally in Western, escorting the DP to political meetings and defending him in the media.

“I will not be involved in the high-stakes politics for the next four months…I have not quit the hustler nation but will be taking a four-month leave as recently recommended by President Uhuru Kenyatta,” he said at his home on March 21.

Pointing to changing political dynamics, Didmus said he will be consulting with various stakeholders and like-minded leaders in the Luhya nation.

“I am keen to reconcile factions within the community so we can try and move in one direction. We have always been divided as a community and thus never get to benefit,” he said.

This was interpreted as the start of the mass exodus from Ruto’s camp.

In an interview on Jalang’o TV, Ruto said "the kitchen was becoming too much hot” and that could be the reason Didmus was asking for a timeout.

“Didmus was here [Karen] with me; we ate lunch. It is too hot in the kitchen. I told him it is normal and he should relax. But he is a member of Team Hustler. I just told him to take a break. He will come back,” the DP said in the interview hosted by radio personality Felix Odiwuor, aka Jalang’o.

But behind the theatrics and hustler politics, the legislator has an impressive academic and career record.

Barasa attended Kimilili Secondary School between 1996 and 2000, where he sat his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education exam.

Between 2001 and 2005, he was at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology studying Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. He graduated with second class Honors, Upper Division.

Around this period — between 2001 and 2007 — he joined the Kenya Armed Forces, where he worked as Captain in the Technical Wing.

He flew to Australia and joined The University of Queensland for Master of Occupational, Health, Security and Safety Science in 2008-2009. He got a distinction.

During the same period, he attained a graduate diploma in Security Systems Audit from the University of Sydney, Australia.

He was employed by Shell Co Limited Australia from 2007 to 2012.

Didmus then left to become regional QHSE manager East Africa managing Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Djibouti, Ethiopia, DRC and Great Lakes region.

He was elected Kimilili MP in 2017 on the Jubilee ticket.   BY THE STAR