David Kimawachi is a true sportsman head to toe, living a double life of a charismatic teacher and a sporting enthusiast in equal measure.
To an observer, it is difficult to separate him from the two facets, loving to teach children in the classroom as his primary calling, and imparting in them sporting skills as either coach or official out there on the pitch, whatever the genre of sports he chooses to withstand.
It all began in Cheskak Primary School where his interest in sports sprouted, developing it at Thika Technical which he joined after doing Certificate in Primary Education (CPE) in 1979. Thika Technical became his home until 1983 when he sat O Level exams.
Kimawachi was born in Masaba, Namwela village, Sirisia Constituency in Western Kenya.
From 1985 to 1986, he secured a job as a casual labourer in the Ministry of Works in Kakamega. His football life burst into life as he played in the national league, featuring for Motcom that comprised majorly of students of Kakamega and Musingu High schools.
Between 1987 and 1991, Kimawachi was employed as an untrained teacher (UT) at Kwaf Primary School in Sirisia Sub-county before proceeding to Kericho TTC from 1991 to 1993.
Mr. Daniel K. Mastamet was the college principal and Kimawachi was the Dining Hall prefect.
Upon graduation, Kimawachi was posted to Malaba Primary in Busia County and before long he was transferred to Cheskaki Primary in Mt Elgon Sub-county, where he remained from 1994 to 2007.
He was a Deputy Head Teacher between 2007 and 2012 at Chesiyo Primary School, still in Mt Elgon. He was then promoted to Head Teacher and transferred to Washio Primary School, Cheptais, Mt Elgon, where he stayed from 2012 to 2015.
He served at Kimapole Primary in Mt Elgon between 2015 and 2018 before being delocalized to Kutung Primary School in West Pokot, remaining there until 2023 when he was again redeployed to Ortum Mixed Primary School.
In all these numerous schools that he taught, he was the games teacher, never at any one time missing to participate in national ball games and athletics competitions as coach, trainer, referee or facilitator.
Besides football, he has been a national athletics starter and an experienced hand ball referee. Most recently, he officiated in the East Africa ball games held in Mbale Uganda.
His great advice to teachers is that they should be fully committed, ambitious and disciplined if they want to succeed in sports.
By Martin Ruto
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