Master politician with love for soil

Professor Kamar is not just an academic genius; she also has taste in fashion. [Photos: Standard]

 

Professor Margaret Kamar, Higher Education, Science and Technology minister has overcome insurmountable odds to become a force to reckon with in the academia and politics. She spoke to Nanjinia Wamuswa

She has such an impeccable CV: she rightfully qualifies to be in the Who-is-Who-List in Kenya. Higher Education, Science and Technology minister Professor Margaret Kamar’s credentials demonstrate that with the right education everything is possible.

She is a Masters degree holder in Agriculture from Canada’s top university — McGill —?and a PhD in Soil and Water Conservation from University of Toronto.

Coming from a community that has for long held women in low regard, Kamar has overcome numerous cultural barriers to reach the top echelons of power. She is now a force to reckon with in academia and politics.

As minister for Higher Education, her task is to come up with robust policies to guide and govern the institutions of higher learning.

Having worked in the university for many years, Kamar is passionate about reforming institutions of higher learning.

“My dream is to see a total transformation in our institutions. There is need for a chance,” she says.

Kamar joined the Ministry last September after taking over from the then acting Minister Helen Sambili.

 “I took over and immediately established a task force to reform laws of the Ministry to conform with the new Constitution.

“The new reforms, which are ready to be tabled in Parliament, will drive almost 60 per cent of Vision 2030, particularly the human resource development,” she says with excitement.

Challenges

Manning such a huge ministry is no mean feat. First, her ministry is large because it comprises Higher Education, Science and Technology, which means more responsibilities.

One of the challenges she faces is insufficient funds allocated to research.

“Research internationally takes about one per cent of a nation’s gross domestic product. In Kenya, research gets only 0.54 per cent. I am pushing for more,” she says.

But she is hopeful that change will come. “We are discussing this with the Treasury and we hope to overcome these challenges,” she affirms.

?Her vision for the ministry is to drive higher education to lead in the continent.

Having scaled such great heights in her career, one wonders how far the Eldoret East MP is intending to go.

“For me there is no limit. Four years ago l had no idea I would head a ministry. In life, you never know what God plans for you,” she says.

Kamar plans to run for the Uasin Gishu governor’s seat after her people requested her.

Background

Kamar was born on April 28, 1959 in Keiyo Marakwet in a polygamous family. Her father, a farmer, had two wives and 16 children.

She’s the third born among seven siblings from the second wife.

?“Our father was strong and ensured peace prevailed in the home. He managed his polygamous family well,” she says.

Kamar was a bright student right from nursery school.

She recalls being position one in nursery and was to get a present during prize giving day.

Her father was running late for the occasion and she refused to pick her prize until he arrived.

 “He was touched that l had declined to get my present in his absence. He bought me an expensive briefcase that l used to carry books to school.”

Kamar went to Koptega Primary School and later joined Kapkenda Girls Secondary for her O-levels. She attended Moi Girls High Eldoret for her A-levels.

Her brilliance landed her scholarships throughout her university education.

In 1980, Kamar received The Indian Council of Cultural Relationship scholarship to pursue an agricultural degree in Soil Science at Punjab Agriculture University in India.

In 1985, she received another scholarship from African Development Bank to study Masters in Agriculture-Soil and Water Conservation and Hydrology, at McGill University in Canada.

In 1988, she got a research grant from International Development Research Centre of Canada, for her PhD in management of arid and semi-arid land soils at University of Toronto.

After she graduated Kamar got a job as a district soil conservation officer, Trans-Nzoia District in the Ministry of Agriculture.

She was promoted to district extension coordinator within a year.

In 1986, she joined Moi University as a tutorial fellow, and from 1989 to 1999, rose up the ranks of assistant lecturer, lecturer and senior lecturer.

In December 1999, Prof Kamar was appointed associate professor of Soil Science.

From 1997 to 2002, she was the principal of Moi University’s Chepkoilel Campus after which she was appointed the University’s Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Research and Extension, a position she held between 2002 and 2006 before joining politics.

Political career

For Kamar joining politics started like a joke.

In October 2006, members of her community including over 70 church denominations asked her to represent them in Parliament.

?“I used to discourage academicians from joining politics, but here I was making this bold step,” she says.

She resigned as Deputy Vice Chancellor of Moi University to run for the Eldoret East parliamentary seat in 2007 under the Orange Democratic Party.

She won the nominations and the parliamentary seat.

Kamar also served at the East African Legislative Assembly from 2001 to 2006.