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Dr Luka Wasambo Were was an academician with an eye for the unseen. Years before the late Binyavanga Wainaina came out as gay, Wasambo whispered to someone that the way the award-winning writer was behaving, he must be gay. That is the man the former Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University, the late Prof. George Eshiwani, assigned the duty of identifying and nurturing creative talent at the university in 1992.
Wasambo was born in Gem, Siaya County, on May 28, 1945. He attended Sawagongo Primary School and then Maseno School for his O-Levels from where he went to Kisii High School for his A-Levels. He then proceeded to the University of Nairobi for his undergraduate studies in Education where he majored in English and Literature. This was the time when a young Ngugi wa Thiong'o and Micere Mugo were lighting literary torches in Literature and performing arts.
Between 1971 and 1978 he taught at Swagongo Secondary, Kabarnet High School, Nairobi School and later Thogoto Teachers' College. He moved to the Ministry of Education as an Inspector of Schools between 1979 and 1989. While serving as a schools inspector, he went to Birmingham University in 1983 until 1984 for his Masters of Philosophy studies in Drama in Education.
In 1989, he left the civil service for British Council as Cultural Affairs Officer in charge of Cultural Arts Activities in the Council. He coordinated Drama, Music, Dance, Film and Fine Art activities at the council. He left the British Council in 1991 and left for academia.
He went to Kenyatta University in 1992 at the invitation of Vice-Chancellor George Eshiwani. Eshiwani instructed Wasambo to work on the university cultural week to identify, nurture and celebrate local arts. Wasambo is the brains behind the famous annual Kenyatta University Cultural Week Festivals. He is the longest-serving director of the then Centre for Creative and Performing Arts at Kenyatta University. Kenyatta University is credited for identifying the Redikyulus Comedy trio of John Kiarie, Walter Mong'are and Tony Njuguna. The trio revolutionized comedy in Kenya.
Wasambo formulated a 4th Year unit for Bachelor of Arts called Drama in Education. His plan was to augment theoretical studies with practical experiences in performing arts. He linked his students to societies where cultural exchanges occurred in the process of teaching. He has also been instrumental in the development of Kenya Colleges and Secondary Schools Drama Festivals.
