Isaac Maigua Mwaūra (born May 29, 1982) is the current Government Spokesman of Kenya, a former Senator as well as a former Cabinet Administrative Secretary (CAS) - Deputy Minister in the Office of Prime Cabinet Secretary. Mwaūra served as a Senator in Kenya's Senate under the Jubilee Party between 2017 and 2022 where he was nominated to represent Persons with Disabilities between 2017 and 2022. He was the third person to occupy that position under the Constitution of Kenya, 2010. He also served as member of Parliament in the National Assembly from 2013 to 2017 after being nominated by the Orange Democratic Movement Party to represents special Interest Groups. He was the first Member of the National Assembly (MP) and Senator in Kenya with albinism. He is a member of the United Democratic Alliance Party (UDA) which is the ruling party under the Kenya Kwanza Administration of President William Samoei Ruto.
Mwaūra served as a senior adviser to former Prime Minister Raila Odinga from 2010 to 2012 on Public Policy on Special Interest Groups.
Mwaūra hails and lives in Kiambu county. He obtained bachelor's degrees in Special Education, French Studies, Japanese, and English (minor) from Kenyatta University. Additionally, he has two master's degrees; Masters of Arts in Development Studies from the Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences of Nelson Mandela University (South Africa); and Masters of Arts in Social and Public Policy Studies from University of Leeds (United Kingdom). Also he has a Diploma in Theology from the Presbyterian University of East Africa (PUEA). Mwaūra also pursued a Diploma in Public Relations Management from Kenya Institute of Management. In 2017, he was awarded with an Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa) from UGCS - USA.
Mwaūra is a member of the Kenyan society, a debater, social change maker and activist. He is a writer, having authored the book Human Rights, Disability and Development in Kenya (A Discourse). He is also a regular columnists with local dailies. Mwaūra has distinguished himself as an active Member of Parliament. He is articulate in English, French, Swahili and Kikuyu.
In 2016, he was awarded Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS) by then the President Uhuru Kenyatta, due to his contribution in society. In 2016, he received Activist of the Year Award from the Malaika Tribute Award for his contribution and championing for the rights of persons with disabilities. In 2021, he was recognized by Protection International as one of the seven outstanding human rights defenders in Kenya during the International Human Rights Day. In 2020, he was recognized by the Terres Deshommes International as a Child Rights Champion during the International Day Against the Child Labour. In 2019, Isaac Mwaūra was recognized as the 18th Session of the UN Human Rights Council meeting for his immense contribution to the advancement of the rights of Persons with Albinism in Kenya and beyond. He has also been feted with other awards such as PWD Champion Award in 2018; Wanjikū's Best Representative on Special Interests in Parliament in 2015; Award of Merit by Kenya Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons on fighting skin cancer among Persons with Albinism; Lifetime Achievement Award (Annual Disability Rights Awards in 2014); Outstanding Young Alumni Award by Kenyatta University in 2015; Kenyatta University Students Association (KUSA) Alumni Leadership Award in 2018; and Leadership Excellence Award by the Kenya Young Parliamentarians Association (KYPA) in 2014, among other outstanding awards.
He is married to Nelius Mūkami Mwaūra and has one son, Njirū Maigua Mwaūra.
Early life and education Mwaūra was born in Gìthūngūri, Kiambu County in 1982 and was solely raised by his mother, Grace Njeri at his grandmother's house, after his father disowned him on account of being born with albinism. The deserted family relocated to Mwaūra's maternal grandmother where he and his elder brother Henry grew up. "My father said very nasty things to my mother and declared that in his family they don't get such kids. He even accused her of being unfaithful, and that she had conceived me with somebody of Caucasian or Asian origin." Mwaūra said in 2014 during a media interview.
Although he grew in abundant love and protection from his mother and grandmother, Mwaūra faced prejudice and discrimination from the neighborhood. He was rebuked for his albinism and derogatory comments made about his appearance. Many ignorantly attributed his albinism as having caused by severe burns from hot water, and opined that a total blood transfusion could reverse his disability.
Despite recommendations from the neighbors for Mwaūra to be trained to do menial tasks since he 'couldn't amount to much, anyway', Mwaūra's mother disregarded the suggestion and instead enrolled him to Thika School for the Blind, a special national school that admitted pupils with visual impairment and albinism, so as he could get formal education. This was after the school was recommended to the mother by a lady, Miss Margaret Teresia (MT) Warūinge, her first cousin, and who was a teacher in the school. Isaac joined the kindergarten in Thika School for the Blind at only four and half years old as a boarder. This was a torturous experience for such a young kid as such tender age in a boarding facility. Nevertheless, Mwaūra had 28 classmates drawn from across the country such as Mushenik, Otieno, Abdi, Shematia and many others. This gave him a national outlook. It was also while in kindergarten that Mwaūra become a class monitor at the age of five years, depicting leadership skills at an early age. In fact, at about six years, his maternal grandfather (a brother to his grandfather) would observe that due to Isaac's inquisitive nature, the boy would end up being a politician, something that his grandmother would refute. This was because both the grandmother Mary Wajiku and Isaac's mother used to work as casual labourers at the coffee farm of the local Member of Parliament then, Arthur Kìnyanjui Magūgū. Isaac did very well in class and due to his young age, he was not promoted to kindergarten Two, and therefore spent two years in kindergarten One. He averse that he cannot remember how he came to speak Kiswahili. Nevertheless, at six and half years he joined Standard One at Thika Primary School for the Blind. During his primary school years, he distinguished himself in athletics, poetry, solo verse, and was also a member of the Junior Choir as a soprano, Boy's Choir as a Tenor and also Mixed Choir. He also did well in Drama and won several awards. Interestingly, while in Standard Seven, he became the house captain for Kenyatta Sports House. Also, he was the Christian Union (CU) leader and a Sunday School teacher. While in Standard Eight, the teachers were of opinion he should be the Head Boy; However, it was opined that since he was a higher performer in class, he should be given double prefectship. He thus ended up being both a class prefect and a prefect of the general assembly. In that same year, Isaac emerged the top pupil in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in his school in 1996, and also the best in Kiswahili Public Speaking nationally.
He won a slot in Starehe Boys' Centre, a prestigious and the top-performing school in Nairobi, but he was discriminated and denied admission. Mwaūra proceeded to Thika High School for the Blind which he joined in 1997. While at high school, Mwaūra became the school's head boy, an opportunity that enhanced his leadership skills.
After completing his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in 2000, Mwaūra joined Kenyatta University in 2002 for a bachelor's degree in Special Education, French Studies and Japanese and completed in 2006. He further pursued and completed a Post-graduate diploma in Public Relations Management in Kenya Institute of Management and a Diploma in Theology in Presbyterian University of East Africa. Between 2010 and 2012, Mwaūra enrolled and graduated with two master's degree: Master's Degree in Social and Public Policy as a Ford Scholar from University of Leeds in United Kingdom and Masters in Arts in Development Studies from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in South Africa. In 2016, Mwaūra was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities (Honoris Causa) from UGCI- USA for his immeasurable contribution in serving the marginalized and minorities in Kenya.
Career and achievements
Working for Disabled Persons Organizations and civil societies Mwaūra has worked in different organizations, both nationally and internationally. In 2004, while still a university student and aged 22 years, Mwaūra was appointed as a board director to the National Council for the Persons with Disabilities, making him the first youngest board member in Kenya. After graduating from Kenyatta University in 2006, Mwaūra worked as a Regional Programme Coordinator (Gender and Youth Development) with African Union of the Blind as well as a Programme Officer and Programme Manager with United Disabled People of Kenya and Kenya Society for the Blind respectively. He then joined National Council for Persons with Disabilities (NCPWD) as the Head of Communications and Public Relations before rising to the position of deputy director of Programmes in the same state agency. He left the council in 2007 and joined Uraia Trust Civic Education Programme as a programme Officer in charge of the National Civic Education Programme. Mwaūra joined Voluntary Services Overseas and worked as a Programme Development Advisor on Human Rights Based Approach in Papua New Guinea before jetting back to Kenya to work as a Senior Adviser on Special Interest Groups to the former Prime Minister of Kenya Raila Odinga.
His role as a student leader Mwaūra was an activist as early as a freshman at Kenyatta University when he organized a strike against a Non-governmental organization that was exploiting visually impaired students at the university. Subsequently, he and others successfully lobbied the Joint Admission Board of Kenya to admit students with special needs who had met the minimum required grade for university placement. While still a freshman at Kenyatta University, Mwaūra was elected as a student leader and joined hands with other leaders including the current Homa Bay Women Representative Gladys Wanga to oust the then Vice-Chancellor Professor George Eshiwani out of office for he was serving an illegal term. During his tenure as a student leader, Mwaūra is credited for coordinating the review of students' union constitution, transforming it from an archaic one to a more vibrant and inclusive document.
Albinism Society of Kenya