The Reason an MP’s Father Wanted Him to Pursue a Science Course

Alego Usonga Member of Parliament, Samuel Atandi recently offered a candid glimpse into his university life and the surprising ambitions of his late father.

Speaking on TV47 Kenya’s Mfahamu Kiongozi segment, the MP revealed that the pressure to pursue science courses was less about career prospects and more about achieving community status.

The Pressure to Boast at the Baraza

Mr Atandi explained that his father’s insistence on science degrees, particularly medicine or engineering, stemmed from a desire for bragging rights among peers.

The primary motivation was competitive. The MP recalled that his father had a friend whose son had secured a highly coveted spot studying Medicine at the University of Nairobi (UoN).

Whenever the community elders gathered, this friend would proudly announce his son's medical pursuit.

The MP shared that his own father wanted the same opportunity to boast.

"My father also wanted us to go and do those courses... So that he could brag."

Diverting from the Science Track

Despite his father’s clear expectation, MP Atandi ultimately did not enrol in a science course. He opted instead to pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree.

There were, however, attempts to change his path. Upon arriving at university, efforts were made for him to switch to a different science course.

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However, his older brothers encouraged him to stick with the BA course. They assured him it would turn out well.

“So that’s how I [came] to do BA,” the MP stated.

A Surprising Career Trajectory

While studying Arts was not his father’s wish, Mr Atandi found immediate professional success. He admitted he did not anticipate how far the BA degree would take him.

Immediately after finishing his studies, he secured a job at Standard Chartered Bank (StanChart).

His first role was not salaried, but that of a sales representative. The retainer pay for the sales position was 10,000 shillings. Most of his earnings relied on commission from sales performance.

Mr Atandi quickly excelled in sales.

He recounts that he was doing so well that he earned more money than even the permanent employees at the bank. This success led many permanent staff to contemplate switching to sales themselves.

Rising Through the Banking Ranks

Following his success in the commission-based sales role, Mr Atandi transitioned into mainstream banking.

He revealed that rapid growth in the banking sector often depends on movement between companies.

“In banking, if you want to rise, you must be changing [employers].”

He began rising through the ranks, moving between major institutions. He worked at StanChart, then NIC Bank, before returning to StanChart as a manager.

His career trajectory included working at NIC Bank again, briefly as a junior manager, and later at Bank of Africa.

By the time he returned to NIC for the second time, his strategy of changing employers had paid off significantly, having secured him a role as a very senior manager.