Joseph Lekuton
{{Short description|Kenyan politician}}
{{Use Kenyan English|date=January 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton
| honorific_suffix = CBS
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{circa|1968}}
| birth_place = Karare, Kenya
| nationality = Kenyan
| party = Kenya Kwanza (since 2022)
| otherparty = Orange Democratic Movement (before 2022)
| office = Member of the National Assembly of Kenya
| constituency = Laisamis
| term_start = 2007
| term_end = 2017
| term_start2 = 2022
| term_end2 = present
| predecessor =
| successor =
| education = St. Lawrence University
| alma_mater = Harvard Graduate School of Education (M.Ed.)
| occupation = Politician, educator, author
| known_for = Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai in the African Savanna
| awards = Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS)
}}
Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton{{cite book |title=Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna |author1=Herman Viola |author2=Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton |year=2005 |publisher=Random House Penguin |url=http://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/99756/facing-the-lion-by-joseph-lemasolai-lekuton/}} (born 1968 or 1969){{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/work-education/a-warrior-in-two-worlds/ |title=A Warrior In Two Worlds |work=Washingtonian |author1=Brooke Lea Foster |author2=Cindy Rich |date=September 1, 2004 |quote=Lekuton, 35}} is a Kenyan politician. He belongs to the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and was elected to represent the Laisamis Constituency in the National Assembly of Kenya since the 2007 Kenyan parliamentary election and reelected in 2013.{{cite web |url=http://www.bunge.go.ke/members.php |title=Members Of The 10th Parliament |publisher=Parliament of Kenya |accessdate=June 19, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080701203557/http://www.bunge.go.ke/members.php |archivedate=2008-07-01}} He was not elected in 2017, but returned in 2022. He joined Kenya Kwanza after being elected in the 2022 general election.{{Cite web |last=Macharia |first=Hunja |date=2022-08-18 |title=7 UDM MPs ditch Azimio to join Kenya Kwanza Alliance |url=https://www.kbc.co.ke/7-udm-mps-ditch-azimio-to-join-kenya-kwanza-alliance/ |access-date=2022-08-18 |website=KBC |language=en}}
Early life and education
He comes from the village of Karare. In his early twenties, Lekuton left for America to study Government, Economics and History at St. Lawrence University in upstate New York. He taught at The Langley School in McLean, Virginia, before leaving for Harvard University where he earned a Master's degree in International Education policy at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Career
Lekuton is a prolific writer and a gifted public speaker. His book Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai in the African Savanna was published by National Geographic.{{cite web |url=http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/bios/joseph-lekuton/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330024554/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/bios/joseph-lekuton |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 30, 2012 |title=Joseph Lekuton - Teacher - Emerging Explorer |website=NationalGeographic.com}} The book is about his life as a Maasai child up until the point of him graduating college.
Over the years, Lekuton has sought to improve the education standards among his nomadic community, believing that this is the surest way to upward social mobility. Through the Nomadic Kenyan Children Education Fund (www.nkcef.org) and the Boma Fund Inc, a number of Kenyan children have a decent shot at better life through education. For his hard work and tireless efforts, Lekuton was recognized by the Kenyan government – he is the youngest recipient of the presidential honor. In October 2015, Hon. Lekuton was recognized by the President of Kenya during the Mashujaa Day celebrations and awarded Chief of Burning Spear, First Class (CBS).
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{TED speaker}}
- [http://www.ted.com/talks/joseph_lekuton_tells_a_parable_for_kenya "A parable for Kenya" (TEDGlobal 2007)]
- [http://www.nkcef.org/ for more about his background and contributions to education in Kenya]
- [http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news_events/ed/2007/winter/features/lekuton.html in Ed. magazine, Harvard Graduate School of Education]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lekuton, Joseph}}
Category:Kenya African National Union politicians
Category:Members of the National Assembly (Kenya)
Category:Harvard Graduate School of Education alumni
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
{{Kenya-politician-stub}}
Category:Members of the 8th Parliament of Kenya
Category:Members of the 9th Parliament of Kenya
Category:Members of the 10th Parliament of Kenya