President William Ruto’s nominee for Principal Secretary (PS) for Youth Affairs, Fikirini Jacobs, on Saturday, April 5, 2025, recounted his leadership experience at the Maasai Mara University with UDA-nominated senator Esther Okenyuri.
Okenyuri, who was also a student leader at the institution in 2015, hosted Fikirini, who had travelled to Nairobi for vetting following his nomination by Ruto.
“Nilipata fursa ya kumtembelea Mheshimiwa Seneta Essy Okenyuri hapo jana katika ofisi yake. Ikumbukwe kuwa Comrade Essy ni mvyele wangu katika uongozi wa siasa za chuoni. Yeye alinitangulia kuwa makamu wa Rais wa muungano wa wanafunzi wa Chuo Kikuu Cha Maasai Mara. Nafasi ambayo niliikalia baadae. Nafasi hii imemfanya kuwa kielelezo kwa vijana wengi katika kuushiriki uongozi, utawala, na utumishi wa umma,” he stated.
Loosely translated to: (I had the opportunity to pay a courtesy call to Senator Essy Okenyuri at his office. Of note is that comrade Essy is a political mentor to me from way back during campus politics. She preceded me as the deputy student leader at the Maasai Mara University. She is an example to many youth and a beacon of great service to the people of Kenya.)
Youngest PS nominee
Fikirini, 29, who currently serves as Kilifi County director of the Governor’s delivery unit, could well be the youngest principal secretary if approved by the parliamentary committee on social protection.
The charismatic politician was born and raised in Bamba before he set his sights on campus leadership after joining Maasai Mara University in 2015 to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Education.
However, he was expelled from the university in 2017 after the school found him guilty of organizing a student protest against the wishes of the administration.
The firebrand student leader quickly enrolled at Pwani University to pursue a different degree, where he would rise to become the president of the Pwani University Students Association (PUSA).
Expelled
Fikirini would run into major friction with the administration after he wrote an opinion piece attacking the institution’s leadership on several issues.
He was again expelled from the university in 2019, but he appealed and returned, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in 2023.
Fikirini is an ardent supporter of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, whom he says is his political father and a major source of inspiration to his leadership.
During the 2022 campaigns, Fikirini was among the youth who addressed the public in Kilifi and Nairobi rallies.