AFRICA’S DAIRY CHAMPION VYING FOR TETU PARLIAMENTARY SEAT ON TND TICKET
Mr Alex Gathii Gitonga
By Our Reporter
Worth Noting:
- The more than 12 year old Tanolope has footprints in nine African countries where it has clients.
- Apart from Kenya, other countries are Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Namibia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia and lately in Nigeria.
- Gathii has also been involved in policy formulation within the Kenyan government on Livestock Feedstuff Policy in a panel of nine consultants where they have the first draft to the government.
- He has been at the forefront in adding value in agriculture and in the dairy sector as he has played a great role in the formulation of Agricultural Policy Veterinary Policy, Veterinary Surgeon and Para-professional Act, review of the Dairy Act, Dairy Regulations among many others.
Africa’s Dairy Champion, Alex Gathii Gitonga is among the few agricultural technocrats who have joined the muddy world of politics during the forthcoming General Election.
Gathii is in the parliamentary politics and hopes to become the next Tetu contituency Member Parliament.
The 48-year-old dairy consultant who is also widely known as Gathii Ka Wangari (from his work as PA to the late area MP and first African Nobel prize winner, the late Prof. Wangari Mathai) is from this constituency which is well known for never re-electing any Member of Parliament for a second term.
The New Democrats (TND) party candidate is also known by some his supporters as Gathii Ga Tanolope in reference to his dairy consultancy firm with others calling him Gathii Ga CDF in reference to his work in the first area CDF team between 2003 and 2007.
Gathii was born in Nyathumari farm, Gatumbiro village in Tetu Constituency, Nyeri County, being the first born child of Mzee Abraham Gitonga and the late Mama Loyce Wanjiru Gitonga.
He went to Gatumbiro Primary school and later joined Chinga Boys High School in Othaya, Nyeri County for his secondary education.
After high school he joined the prestigious University of Nairobi where he pursued Bachelor of Science in Food, Dcience and Technology.
After graduating from the university he joined the Kenya School of Government and pursued a course on Project Management. He later went for specialized training in Galilee International Management College in Israel and did a two year course in Dairy Production, Dairy Technology and Dairy Marketing and Processing.
He also did a specialized Cowsignals Certification Course at the Egerton University under Jan Hansen of The Netherlands.
Alex Gathii is the Founder and Managing Director of Tanolope Consultancy Limited which support dairy investments, doubling milk production, lowering the cost of production, increasing productivity and productivity within the dairy investments.
He is also a Renowned Livestock Nutritionist and experienced Dairy Consultant and also a Cow Therapist.
The more than 12 year old Tanolope has footprints in nine African countries where it has clients.
Apart from Kenya, other countries are Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Namibia, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Somalia and lately in Nigeria.
Gathii has also been involved in policy formulation within the Kenyan government on Livestock Feedstuff Policy in a panel of nine consultants where they have the first draft to the government.
He has been at the forefront in adding value in agriculture and in the dairy sector as he has played a great role in the formulation of Agricultural Policy Veterinary Policy, Veterinary Surgeon and Para-professional Act, review of the Dairy Act, Dairy Regulations among many others.
Gathii has won several awards which include;
Africa’s Dairy Champion,
USAID Champion of Change, Certified Cowsignals Master trainer and The GoGreen Lifetime Achievers Award 2021 winner.
The father of one son, Samuel Gitonga and married to Rose Wamucii will be trying his luck to win Tetu Parliamentary seat for the second time as he was still in the ballot in 2017 but he lost to the incumbent Gichuhi Mwangi.
He started developing interest in politics back in 1997 when Nobel Laureate the late Professor Wangari Maathai was vying for presidency on Liberal party, where he was part of his campaign team. Later in 2002 he was involved in Prof Maathai’s parliamentary Campaigns where she won the Tetu seat on a Narc ticket and he was appointed as her personal assistant and the then CDF fund manager.
He will be contesting against Geoffrey Wandeto (UDA), Martin Lutherking Githigaro (Jubilee) Simon Wachira(Chama cha Kazi) Francis Gachigi (TSP) and Lucy Wanjiru(Independent).
He believes he is the best suited to take Tetu to the next level because when he served as the CDF manager between 2002-2007, Tetu was voted the best in use of the CDF funds.
“I have supported many students to continue with their education at secondary and tertiary level . I am a community mobilizer, my passion is community development, wealth creation and economic development. I love growth, efficiency and effectiveness, equitable distribution of resources and social justice it’s my philosophy and belief,” he says.
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