- Kakamega Township Primary School in the Amalemba area shaped the early life of Senator Edwin Sifuna and a generation of county leaders
- The school was known for fierce academic competition, a working shamba, and the lively atmosphere around the nearby Amalemba public pitch
- A former student recalls hands-on lessons that went far beyond the classroom, including planting, weeding and harvesting maize on the school farm
Long before Edwin Sifuna became one of Kenya's most recognisable political figures, he was just another pupil navigating the lively corridors and open grounds of Kakamega Township Primary School in the Amalemba area of Kakamega County.
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The school built a strong reputation over the years as one of the top-performing public primary institutions in the region, regularly going head-to-head with neighbouring schools such as Kakamega Primary, Matende Primary, and Amalemba Primary in academic competitions.
What was Sifuna's life like in Kakamega Township?
Getting to school often meant walking past the Amalemba public pitch, a sprawling open ground that was far more than a sports venue.
On weekends, the pitch buzzed with football matches that drew in children and adults from across the neighbourhood.
It also served another, less official, purpose: a place where boys settled scores.
Disputes that started inside the school grounds sometimes spilled onto the pitch after classes, resolved the old-fashioned way through fist fights.
Academic pressure and physical activity defined the school experience, but there was also something more grounded and practical waiting beyond the classroom walls.
Kakamega Township Primary maintained a shamba as part of its curriculum, where pupils got their hands dirty in the most literal sense. Former student Bashir Ahmed remembers those sessions with clarity.
"The school also had a shamba and students would work on it. From planting maize, weeding and harvesting then shelling it," he said.
These agricultural lessons sat alongside the school's academic rigour, giving pupils a well-rounded experience that alumni still recall fondly.
The combination of competitive learning, community-style physical labour, and the rough-and-tumble energy around the Amalemba pitch created an environment that left a lasting mark on those who passed through.
The school has changed considerably since those days, but its place in local educational history remains firm.
For many in Kakamega County, it represents an era when public schools like these were nurseries for professionals and leaders, among them the senator who still carries the memory of those formative years.
Sifuna’s school struggles
In other news, Sifuna attended Musingu High School from 1996 to 1999, where he struggled with Mathematics and dropped Chemistry after scoring 16%.
He excelled in English, Kiswahili and Geography, which helped steer him towards studying law at university.
In June 2025, he returned to his former school to inspire students through his personal academic journey.
Source: TUKO.co.ke