Leonard James Ngugi
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Leonard James Ngugi | |
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| Born | December 24, 1936 Uthiru |
| Died | July 9, 2009 (aged 72) |
| Nationality | Kenyan |
| Alma mater | Makerere University |
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Leonard James Ngugi (24th December 1936 - 9th July 2009) was a Kenyan intellectual, economist and civil servant. He was the first African Clerk to the National Assembly 1 after Kenya's independence from British colonial rule.
Early life and education
Leonard James Ngugi was born in 1936 in Uthiru, in the present-day Nairobi County. He was the son, and second child of Mr Henderson Ngugi and Mrs Helen Wambui Ngoci . He attended Uthiru Primary School from 1944 to 1951. He then joined Kagumo High School in 1952, where he sat his intermediate exams in 1955.
In 1956, he was admitted to Makerere University, where he studied political science, history and economics. He graduated with a First Class Honours in 1960.
Career
On 20th March 1961, after completing his university education, he was appointed to the national assembly as a second clerk assistant. The significance of this appointment was captured in a correspondence by the then Director of Establishments to the Clerk of the Legislative Council dated 3rd January 1961. The correspondence said "I have to inform you that His Excellency the Governor attaches considerable importance to the appointment of a suitable African to this position. It is clear that the Governor himself saw the suitability of Leonard to that position."
On 4th November 1963, Leonard James Ngugi was appointed Administrative Secretary to the National Assembly, and Clerk to the senate. While in this position, he also served as the secretary to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and Secretary of the Election Commission of Kenya.
On 5th January 1967, Leonard was appointed Clerk to the National assembly, the first native Kenyan to hold that position. 2 In this position, he was the head of Parliamentary service. He worked with the then Speaker Humphrey Slade to lay the foundations of the standing orders of parliament. He put structures and policies in place that have continued to ensure smooth running of the Kenyan Parliament to date.
He retired honourably in December 1986, having been a target of Daniel Moi's dictatorship.
Personal life
Prior to joining Makerere University, he sired a daughter with the late Margaret Wangui Waweru. Rosemary Njeri was born in 1958 in the present day Kiambu County.
Leonard James Ngugi was married to Jane Wahu Ngugi in 1964. The marriage produced 3 children, (Michael Kirumba Ngugi, David Kuria Ngugi, and Nicky Ngoci). They later divorced.
In 1970 he was married to Professor Elizabeth Ngugi, with whom he had a son (James Ngoci). They later divorced.
Leonard James Ngugi had several grandchildren.
Illness and death
Leonard James Ngugi's health started declining 2005, and he suffered several strokes. On 9th July 2009, he passed away in a hospital in Nairobi.
References
External links
This article "Leonard James Ngugi" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.