How determined boy from Kyuso rose to top banker with PhD

The educational journey of a once humbled and ragged village boy who rose to a PhD holder is a case study of enviable perseverance, determination and resilience.

John Kyalo Munyithya, who hails from Gai in Kyuso district, Mwingi North sub-county, did not allow his circumstances to stop him. 

Now a big name in the banking industry, Munyithya was awarded a PhD in Business Administration from the internationally acclaimed Paris School of Business in France on April 19. 

In an interview with the Star after his return from France last Sunday, Munyithya said his quest to attain the highest echelon of education was inspired by his burning desire to become a role model. 

“My academic achievement should be a motivation to the youth and even professionals. It is a milestone in scholarship especially in our home region where only a few people have academic doctorates.” 

Munyithya described his early years. 

“My schooling was torturous since my days in primary school. I came from a humble family and was raised by my peasant mother after my father passed away, but I have achieved my academic aspirations,” the scholar said.

He owes everything to his mother who single-handedly pulled all stops to raise his school fees. 

“Most times footing my school fees was not easy as my mother had to perform back-breaking menial jobs to raise money. Many were the times I was sent home to go for school fees,” he said. 

Explaining his difficult academic journey, Munyithya said he had to repeat Standard 8 after sitting his exams in 1993. His mother was not able to afford the fees at Mutitu Boys secondary school, where he had been admitted to Form One. 

“The situation had not improved by the time I sat KCPE the second time in 1994. I was out of school for the first school term in 1994 until my mother secured me a place for me at the nearby Tseikuru secondary school,” he said. 

The opportunity to proceed to secondary school robbed his family of tangible wealth - the family's cows. 

“My mother had to sell the only two cows she owned to raise my initial secondary school fees. With the money she fully paid my two-year school fees at Tseikuru,” Munyithya said. 

“Sometimes it took too long before I went back to school as my mother looked for money. I, however, secured a place at Strathmore University to further my education,” he added. 

In order to report to the university, the family sold land to finance his entry into the university and later, while at university he did casual accountancy duties with a local hospital known as Tei wa Yesu Family Care Centre to fund his fees.

“To be able to complete my university education at Strathmore, I had to sell the only piece of land I had inherited from my late father. With the money I paid my university fee balance to the last coin,” Munyithya said. 

After completing university, he secured a job in the banking industry. That was 20 years ago. He has since bought back the land sold to finance his varsity studies. 

“Not only that I have already bought back the land I sold to pay my university fees but I have also purchased other parcels of land for my family,” he told the Star.

If his struggle is anything to go by, Munyithya said, he learned that once a person commits to attain high goals, his or her background notwithstanding, determination and courage are what it takes.

“Nothing in this world was made for any specific individuals or a certain class of people,” added the 46-year-old. 

Despite his humble beginning and besides his PhD attainment, Munyithya holds a MBA from USIU, a BCom and a CPA (K) qualification from the Strathmore University and a diploma in banking from the Galilee University in Israel. 

He currently occupies a financial management specialist position with the Eastern and South African Trade and Development Bank, the financial arm of Comesa.