FROM CHILDHOOD HARDSHIP TO LEADERSHIP:
HE SHARES HIS JOURNEY INTO MEDICINE AND PUBLIC SERVICE, ENCOURAGING YOUNG LEARNERS TO PURSUE THEIR DREAMS AND TREAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES WITH DIGNITY.
BY THE ARUSHA NEWS REPORTER
For pupils at Nalopa Primary School in Arusha, a visit by Dr David Ole Sankok brought a personal lesson in pursuing ambitions: The Kenyan legislator shared how a childhood experience of disability helped shape his journey into medicine and public service.
Speaking at the school in Njiro recently, the Kenyan representative to the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) encouraged pupils to take their education seriously, maintain discipline and reject discrimination against people with disabilities.
Dr Sankok, who acquired his disability while in primary school, drew on his own experiences to emphasise the importance of dignity, respect and equal opportunity.
“All of us have civic duty to treat people with disabilities with dignity and respect. They are human beings like others and have talents like others, too,” he told the attentive pupils.
During an interactive session, pupils shared their dreams of becoming doctors, lawyers, pilots and engineers, among other professionals.
Dr Sankok encouraged them to work towards their goals, reminding them that education and good conduct were important foundations for their future. He also urged them to avoid alcohol, smoking and drug use.
He led the pupils in prayers and pledges to uphold good conduct.
Dr Sankok promised to connect Nalopa with a school in Narok, Kenya, to facilitate exchange visits and give pupils opportunities to learn from one another.
During his visit, he also met the school’s patron, Amb Daniel Ole Njoolay, for discussions on education and human development.
The childhood experience that shaped his future
Reflecting on his childhood, Dr Sankok said an injection administered while he was receiving treatment for pneumonia damaged a nerve, leaving his right leg paralysed.
For a boy who had been active and enjoyed playing football, the adjustment was difficult.
Accessing treatment presented further challenges. He recalled crawling for almost two years before being directed to Kijabe Mission Hospital, where treatment helped improve his mobility.
A personal journey into medicine and leadership
Dr Sankok said the experience helped motivate him to study medicine. He wanted to understand what had happened to his leg and help to ensure that other patients received proper care.
He went on to study medicine and surgery at the University of Nairobi between 1998 and 2005.
His career later expanded into disability advocacy and public leadership. He chaired Kenya’s National Council for Persons with Disabilities from 2014 to 2017 before entering the National Assembly in 2017 as a nominated member representing persons with disabilities.
In December 2022, he began his term in the EALA.
