Public Service and Human Development Principal Secretary Jane Imbunya has urged men to support their wives’ education and professional advancement.
Imbunya said families and the country stand to benefit when women are given opportunities to realise their potential.
Imbunya spoke during celebrations following her conferment as Associate Professor of Education in Curriculum Studies, specialising in Curriculum and Instruction, by Kaimosi Friends University.
Reflecting on her journey to the academic milestone, the PS said her late husband, Joseph, played a significant role in supporting her studies and professional growth, including financing the publication of her books.
She said her husband continued to encourage her to pursue higher academic achievements even after she obtained her PhD.
“When people call doctor, we all turn. Leave my title to me. I want you to be a professor,” she recalled him telling her after she obtained her PhD.
She said her husband had also resisted advice from a friend who questioned why he was investing so much in his wife’s education.
“He told me somebody had asked him, ‘Why are you educating this woman so much? She will finish and run away from you,’” she said.
According to Imbunya, her husband’s response was that he would continue supporting her education regardless of what happened because her success would also benefit their children.
“I will keep doing it. Even if she runs away, she’ll help me to bring up the children,” she quoted him as saying.
Imbunya said the support enabled her to publish four books before her husband’s death five years ago.
“Do not feel threatened. That woman you have in the house is a gemstone. That woman you have in the house is a big investment,” she said.
She said her academic achievement was therefore not only a personal milestone but also a reflection of the people who believed in her and invested in her journey.
Imbunya also paid tribute to her father, James Musambai, saying he worked tirelessly to ensure that she and her siblings received an education.
This, as she urged Kenyans to invest in education and remain focused on their goals, saying determination and support from family helped her rise from a village in western Kenya to an associate professor.
She recalled growing up in the village and never imagining that she would one day become a professor.
“I could hardly have imagined a professor emerging from my village, let alone imagined that one day that professor would be me,” she said.
The PS said her journey was marked by significant challenges, including the death of her mother while she was pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Botswana.
She said her mother had been a close friend and supporter who constantly encouraged her to continue with her studies.
Imbunya also spoke about losing her husband, describing the period as one of the lowest moments of her life. She said his belief in her helped her remain focused on the path he had encouraged her to pursue.
Turning to young women, the PS urged them to believe in their abilities and pursue opportunities without allowing their circumstances to define their future.
“Discover yourself. You are just bigger than what you have ever imagined,” she said.
She also encouraged public servants to pursue continuous education and professional development, saying improved skills would strengthen their ability to serve Kenyans.
“I am proud to bear the title professor, but it is only a beginning to many desired destinies,” Imbunya said.
“The more capable we become, the better equipped we are to serve this wonderful nation called Kenya.”
She challenged people to make learning and mentorship part of their daily lives, asking: “What are you learning every day? Who are you learning from, and who are you lifting as you grow?”
Several guests led by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Public Service Cabinet Secretary Geoffrey Ruku and a host of PSs attended the ceremony to celebrate her success.
