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Gaucho confirms he studied up to class 6
23rd April, 2026 09:11 PM
Calvince Okoth, alias Gaucho, has confirmed that class 6 is the highest level of education he reached.
Speaking to a local TV station on the evening of Thursday, April 23, 2026, Gaucho confidently defended his appointment as a board member of Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital in Nairobi.
The outspoken grassroots mobiliser said academic papers alone should not be used to measure someone’s ability to serve the public.
His remarks come days after Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja named him to the hospital board, a move that quickly sparked debate online.
Education debate
Gaucho openly addressed questions about his schooling and pointed to former Kisauni MP Karisa Maitha as an example of leadership beyond classroom credentials.
“It is true I studied up to class 6. The late Kisauni MP Karisa Maitha did great work for the Coast region, yet he had studied up to class 3,” Gaucho said.
He added that the role he has been given does not require a university degree, insisting he was appointed to represent ordinary young people who often feel ignored in major public institutions.
“I have been appointed to represent youth from the ghetto on the board of Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital. My job does not need a degree,” he said.
The appointment has divided opinion, with critics questioning whether a person without a medical or professional governance background should sit on the board of one of Nairobi’s busiest public hospitals.
Gaucho on critics
Gaucho, however, believes the backlash goes beyond qualifications. According to him, some Kenyans are opposing his appointment because he did not join the Gen Z protests that dominated national conversation.
“Some Kenyans are against my appointment to the Mama Lucy Kibaki Hospital board because I did not participate in the Gen Z protests,” he said.
He also recalled that when his group previously held demonstrations using cooking pots and wooden spoons, they were mocked instead of supported.
The political activist further argued that not everyone serving on a hospital board must be a doctor.
In his view, some members are needed to voice the concerns of residents, patients and low-income communities who rely on public healthcare.
“It is not a must for everyone on a hospital board to be doctors. There are those who go there to handle the needs of ordinary people,” Gaucho said.
His comments have since added fresh energy to an already lively conversation online, where supporters praise his confidence while critics continue questioning the appointment.
