Former Education Cabinet Secretary, Professor George Magoha, has made a return to the lecturing halls after landing a new job at Maseno University in Kisumu County.

Prof Magoha will now become a professor of surgery at the University’s School of Medicine, according to the learning institution’s Director of Public Relations Dr Owen McOnyango.

Dr McOnyango told the Daily Nation that the tough-talking former CS would be an asset to Maseno University due to his vast experience and strong professional background.

“Our School of Medicine is relatively new and to get an experienced and strong personality like Magoha is definitely a plus for us,” Dr McOnyango told the Daily Nation in an interview.


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Prof Magoha served as Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) Chairman from 2016 to 2019 when he was appointed to head the Ministry of Education as the Cabinet Secretary.

Before his appointment to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s cabinet, the academician and administrator was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi from 2005 up to 2015.

Maseno University's School of Medicine was established in 2011 with the intention of dealing with referral cases and conducted its inaugural graduation in 2019.

He is credited as the CS who executed the 100 percent transition for all primary school learners and also fronted the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).


Education Background

Prof Magoha was born on July 2, 1952 in Kisumu to Bernard Magoha and Sarah Aloo and launched his studies at Jina Primary School from 1960 to 1963 before entering Dr Livingstone Primary School in in 1964 where he cleared two years later.

He then went for his secondary school education at Starehe Boys Centre in 1967-1970.

In 1971, he went to Strathmore College and proceeded to the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos two years later and received a Bachelor of Medicine degree in 1978.

In 1979, he joined the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and graduated in 1985.


Furthermore, he graduated from the Royal College of Surgeons in 1980 and Royal Postgraduate Medical School at Hammersmith Hospital in 1983.

Prof Magoha also studied at the School of Business of Stanford University.

He launched his career as an intern at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in 1978 before taking up the position of resident surgeon at the same hospital and worked there until 1981. In 1980, he was a senior house officer at Royal College of Surgeons and also worked as a senior resident and clinical lecturer in surgery at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (1981-1985).

In 1986, he became a consultant surgeon and urologist to the First Foundation and Shoreman Medical Centres, the Motayo Clinic and The Duro-Soleye Hospital.

In 1988, Prof Magoha was appointed a lecturer in surgery at the University of Nairobi.

In 1989, he held a position of a senior lecturer in surgery at the Department of Surgery of the University of Nairobi.

In 1996, the surgeon and academician became an associate professor of surgery at UON and from 2000 he was a professor of surgery at the same learning institution.


He also served as the chairman of the Academic Department of Surgery at the College of Health Sciences of the University of Nairobi (1999 to 2000).

In 2000, he held the position of dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the College of Health Sciences of the University of Nairobi and was appointed the college principal the next year.

In 2002, he was appointed the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Administration and Finance of the UON College of Health Sciences.

In 2005, Prof Magoha took the position of professor of urology and VC at the same university.

He also served as chairman of the Medical Practitioners and Dentists Board of Kenya from 2009 and African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions from 2010.

Magoha Achievements

Prof Magoha is recognized for his publications including;

1. The role of varicocelectomy in the management of infertile males with varicoceles

2. Management and survival in advanced prostate cancer in Nairobi

3. Sub capsular orchidectomy in the management of prostatic carcinoma in Nigerians.

The former CS was awarded the Chief of the Order of the Burning Spear (CBS) in 2005 and Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS) by the Government of Kenya in 2006.