Dr Machel Waikenda is a Kenyan politician and the former State House Director of Political Affairs.
16 Facts About Machel Waikenda
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Machel Waikenda was formerly the executive-committee member in charge of youth affairs, sports, and communications in the county government of Kiambu.
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Between April 2012 and August 2013, Waikenda was the communications director for The National Alliance, which through a merger with 13 other mainstream parties formed the Jubilee Party that brought the then sitting president Uhuru Kenyatta to his reelection in 2017.
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Machel Waikenda was born on 23 April 1981 in Kiambu County and was named 'Machel' in honor of Samora Machel, the former president of Mozambique.
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Machel Waikenda spent much of his time in Taita Taveta, Kilifi, and Kaloleni.
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Machel Waikenda completed the last year of his primary school education in Nairobi and sat for his KCPE at St Mary's School.
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Thereafter, Machel Waikenda enrolled in Flight School, Airline Pilot Training in Florida where he received his Commercial Pilots License and a Multi-Engine Rating.
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Machel Waikenda later pursued his PhD in Business Administration in Finance and Entrepreneurship at the United States International University Africa and graduated in 2019.
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Machel Waikenda began his career as a pilot trainee in Kenya airways in 2005 and was promoted to the rank of the First Officer six months later.
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Machel Waikenda holds a commercial pilot licence with ratings for the 737 and 767 planes and over 3,000 flight hours.
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Machel Waikenda was formerly an employee at Kenya Airways before he quit his career to focus on other business ventures, especially in the entertainment industry.
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Machel Waikenda was the acting executive director of the Party, Director of Communications, and the Secretary of Arts and Entertainment where he coordinated media and communications affairs.
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In 2013, Machel Waikenda initiated a nationwide program dubbed "Dunda" that was used by the Jubilee Coalition to agitate for support from the youth.
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Machel Waikenda has been at the forefront of initiating several projects that have primarily revolved around youth affairs.
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Machel Waikenda introduced a football tournament dubbed 'Champions Cup' where he awarded cash prizes to the teams that were crowned the County Champions after a fierce competition from the ward level.
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Machel Waikenda has expanded the knowledge of youth through conducting capacity building training on various aspects of agri-business, leadership, business management, youth access to government procurement and talent development.