Ambassador Prof. Hon. Samson Kegengo Ongeri, EGH (born 23 February 1938) is a Kenyan politician. He is the former Senator for

Kisii County Kisii County is a Counties of Kenya, county in the former Nyanza Province in southwestern Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Kisii, Kenya, Kisii. The county has a population of 1,266,860 people according to the 2019 Kenya Population and Hou ...

Early life

Ongeri was born on 23 February 1938, in Gesusu, Nyaribari Masaba.

Political life

Hon Prof Sam Ongeri was first elected to Parliament in 1988 and was a member until 1992. He was overwhelmingly re-elected to represent the Nyaribari Masaba Constituency in the

National Assembly of Kenya The National Assembly of the Republic of Kenya (formerly House of Representatives) is one of the two Houses of the Parliament of Kenya. Between 1966 and 2013, it served as a unicameral house. In 2013 ( 11th Parliament), it became the lower ...

from 1992 to 1997. His tenure lasted until 2002. he was Minister of Education from 2007 to 2012 and

Foreign Minister In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...

of Kenya between 2012 and 2013,and Permanent Representative to the UN-Habitat from 2015-2017 where he initiated and participated in the UN-Habitat’s reduced spatial inequality and poverty in communities across the urban-rural continuum, Enhanced shared prosperity of cities and regions, Strengthened climate action and improved urban environment and Effective urban crisis prevention and response. He unsuccessfully ran for office to represent Kisii County as a senator in 2013. In 2017 he was elected as Kisii County Senator. He was the chairman of

Athletics Kenya Athletics Kenya (AK) is the governing body for the sport of athletics (track and field) in Kenya. It is a member of World Athletics and Confederation of African Athletics. AK organises athletics competitions held in Kenya. It also sends Kenyan tea ...

from 1974 to 1984. On 12 September 2012, Ongeri was among a Kenyan delegation meeting in

Mogadishu Mogadishu, locally known as Xamar or Hamar, is the capital and List of cities in Somalia by population, most populous city of Somalia. The city has served as an important port connecting traders across the Indian Ocean for millennia and has ...

with newly elected Somali President

Hassan Sheikh Mohamud Hassan Sheikh Mohamud (Somali language, Somali: ''Xasan Sheekh Maxamuud''; ; born 29 November 1955) is a Somali politician serving as the president of Somalia since 15 May 2022. He previously held the office from 2012 to 2017. Hassan was previo ...

, when two suicide bombers and two gunmen dressed in government uniforms attempted an attack on the Jazeera Hotel where the officials had convened. There were reportedly around 10 casualties, among which were three Somali security detail, one AU peacekeeper, and the assailants themselves. None of the assembled statesmen were harmed. The Al-Shabaab militant group later claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Education

He attended the Gesusu Primary and Intermediate from 1943-51. Went to Bugema Missionary College 1952-57. Took a Pre-Medical Course at

University of Delhi The Delhi University (DU, ISO 15919, ISO: ), also and officially known as the University of Delhi, is a collegiate university, collegiate research university, research Central university (India), central university located in Delhi, India. It ...

1959-61. Took Bachelors of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from

University of Bombay University of Mumbai is a public university, public List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, state university in Mumbai. It is one of the List of largest universities and university networks by enrollment, largest univ ...

1961-66. Attended

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a collegiate university, federal Public university, public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The ...

1971-72, where he learned child health. Took his Pre-Board Examination at the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh (, ; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in Post-nominal letters, post-nominals) is a Public university, public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Founded by the City of Edinburgh Council, town council under th ...

1970-72. Became a physician after graduating from

Royal College of Physicians The Royal College of Physicians of London, commonly referred to simply as the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of ph ...

1971-72. Took a WHO Cours in Immunology at

University of Nairobi The University of Nairobi (uonbi or UoN; ) is a college, collegiate research university based in Nairobi and is the largest List of universities and colleges in Kenya, university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution dat ...

1973-76.

Personal life

Ongeri is married to Dr Elizabeth and they have four children, Engineer Caroline, Nyagaka, Dr Sylvia, Dr Fiona. The Ongeri's are members of the

Seventh-day Adventist Church The Seventh-day Adventist Church (SDA) is an Adventist Protestant Christian denomination which is distinguished by its observance of Saturday, the seventh day of the week in the Christian (Gregorian) and the Hebrew calendar, as the Sa ...

and Hon Ongeri as a member of the

Orange Democratic Movement The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is a centre-left political party in Kenya. It is the successor of a grassroots people's movement that was formed during the 2005 Kenyan constitutional referendum campaign. This movement separated in Augus ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ongeri, Samson Kegengo Living people Members of the National Assembly (Kenya) Government ministers of Kenya Ministers for foreign affairs of Kenya Kenyan Seventh-day Adventists Seventh-day Adventists in health science 1938 births People from Kisii County