Early this week Calvince Okoth, popularly known as Gaucho, the former Bunge la Mwananchi president, was appointed to the Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital board by the Nairobi County government for a three-year term starting April 16, 2026.
The appointment immediately sparked a heated debate about whether someone with no formal education beyond primary school level has any business overseeing a Level 5 referral hospital that serves over 2.25 million people and attends to more than 2,000 patients every single day.
Speaking on an interview on NTV, he owned his story, admitting he dropped out of school when he was in class six.
“I indeed dropped out of school at class 6,” he stated.
Gaucho made it clear that his role and appointment on the board has nothing to do with medicine or treating patients, but rather serving.
“I have not gone there to practice medicine,” he said, adding that the hospital already has qualified doctors and nurses for that and that no one will find him anywhere near a stethoscope.
For Gaucho, the appointment is about something the hospital’s more educated board members may struggle to offer, a lived understanding of what it means to be poor and dependent on a public hospital.
Having grown up in informal settlements like Korogocho and Dandora, he argues that he knows the struggles of Eastlands residents better than most.
To counter those dismissing him over his educational background, he pointed to the late Karisa Maitha, a respected Coast politician who reportedly left school in Class Three yet led his community with distinction.
“I am there to serve the interests of the people. I have not gone there to take my medicine there,” he said.
He also used the moment to send a message to young people from humble backgrounds who may feel the doors of opportunity are closed to them.
“I dedicate this achievement to the ghetto people who have stood by me and believed in me. If I can come this far, then every young person in the ghetto can rise,” he said.
The new board, chaired by Dr. Elvis Meli, takes over at a difficult time for the facility, with recent reports highlighting poor conditions at the hospital, including allegations of patients being forced to give birth on the floor.
Not everyone is against the appointment. Political analyst and advocate Martin Oloo argued that hospital boards need diverse representation, not just medical professionals, a view that gives some weight to Gaucho’s inclusion despite his Class Six education.
Gaucho said that more than a year ago, Odinga had informed him that Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja would help him secure a job.
“One and a half or two years ago, Baba (Raila Odinga) told me he would find me a job. He had spoken to Johnson Sakaja to secure me a position,” he said.
In the interview, Gaucho said he did not believe he had been appointed until he read the contents of the gazette notice.
On April 19, Gaucho also thanked Raila Odinga’s family for their support, pointing out that their faith in him dates back a number of years.
“Special thanks go to the family of Raila Odinga Baba and Broad-Based Arrangement, who believed in me long before this moment, and three years ago, he assured me he would speak to the President on my behalf. Today, that promise has come to life. To all the government officials who have reached out to congratulate me, I am sincerely grateful. Your support means a lot,” Gaucho said.
Gaucho also thanked Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and President William Ruto for the opportunity, calling it a new chapter and a victory for youth who grew up with nothing.
