Mathew Nyamlori, who sat KCPE 9 times, dies of cancer

Mathew Aol Nyamlori, who gained recognition for his resilience in academics after sitting the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) nine times, has passed away.

Nyamlori died on Monday, January 20, while undergoing treatment at a Nairobi hospital, his family confirmed to The Standard.

The 40-year-old had been battling gastric cancer since 2022.

“I started having difficulty swallowing food. The doctors initially said it was H. pylori. However, it progressed, and I decided to undergo an endoscopy. I was subjected to numerous tests, and it was then that I was diagnosed with cancer,” Nyamlori shared in a previous interview.

Nyamlori went viral for his relentless pursuit of education despite facing immense challenges. Growing up, he aspired to become a doctor, but his dreams seemed unattainable due to poverty.

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In 1998, when he first sat for his KCPE, Nyamlori scored 478 marks out of a possible 700 and was admitted to Kabianga High School. However, his parents could not afford the school fees, and he had no hope of joining high school.

Determined to pursue his education, he returned to class eight at Rongo Primary School in 1999, scoring 559 marks and securing an admission letter to Kanga High School. He briefly joined Kanga High but dropped out due to financial difficulties.

Nyamlori took on menial jobs before enrolling at Kitere Primary School for another attempt at education. He scored 387 marks and received an admission letter to Rapogi High School but again could not secure funding for his studies, prompting him to return to class eight.

In 2003, he scored 399 marks at Sony Sugar Primary and was called to Rapogi High. The following year, he scored 434 marks at Rangwe Junior Academy and was admitted to Maseno High School, where he dropped out during the second term due to lack of fees.

In 2008, as a candidate at Agoro Primary School, he scored 397 marks and earned a place at Maranda High School. The following year, he scored 401 marks at Aldo Rebby Academy and was admitted to Kapsabet High.

Nyamlori's persistence saw him sit for KCPE again in 2010 at Agape Academy, scoring 401 marks and rejoining Maranda High. In 2011, he sat for KCPE at Oriri Primary, where he scored 403 marks and received an admission letter to Nairobi School.

His ninth attempt proved successful when he secured a scholarship through the Equity Bank Wings to Fly program. At the age of 29, he joined Nairobi School and completed his four-year studies, earning a B+ with 71 points.

Nyamlori’s perseverance paid off when he was admitted to Kenyatta University, where he pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Policy and Administration.