David Kimeli Leting, a Member of County Assembly (MCA) for Kipkenyo Ward, made headlines on Saturday, January 11, when he hosted a grand party to celebrate his performance in the 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.
His celebration came just days after the release of the national results.
The 64-year-old leader had a remarkable educational journey. He dropped out of nursery school back in 1970 but never gave up on the idea of pursuing education.
Four years ago, he registered as a private candidate for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) and scored 150 marks, which inspired him to continue his studies at the secondary school level.
Reflecting on his performance, Leting expressed his pride in his achievement despite the challenges. He said,
“I am ahead of over 480 students who have spent 15 years in school, while I prepared for my exams in just 30 days.
I have never attended any school or even tuition classes. No one has ever come to explain to me how things work in school. I did my exams through God’s guidance.”
Leting sat for his KCSE exams last year as a private candidate and managed to score a mean grade of D-.
According to his provisional results, he received four Es, two D- grades, and a C- in Biology, which was his best-performing subject.
He added, “Just imagine, I have beaten over 400 candidates. In Biology, I scored a C-, and I don’t know anyone else here who has managed to score that.
I believe I am naturally gifted and different because my knowledge comes from within, not formal schooling.”
The MCA also commented on his Kiswahili results, saying, “At first, I thought I would get an E+, but people told me such a grade doesn’t exist. I kept pushing myself, and to my surprise, I ended up scoring a D-.”
Leting was determined to further his education to improve his ability to contribute to discussions at the Uasin Gishu County Assembly.
He wanted to speak more fluently in English and participate actively in the House debates.
“When they talk about people with O-level certificates, I will be among them. My job as an MCA is secure now.
There was a time when they said you couldn’t hold such a position without a Form Four certificate. Now, there is nothing anyone can say to disqualify me,” he proudly stated.
The MCA concluded by expressing his joy in his progress, saying, “I am happy that I can now speak in English and explain issues clearly.
This ability comes naturally to me, and I believe it is a gift from God.”
