Learn more about David Ole Sankok family, his education, career, son’s death, and more.
Dr. David Sankok is a Narok County-based Kenyan politician and opinion leader who has represented people with disabilities (PWDs) in the Kenyan National Assembly.
He previously also served as the chairman of the National Council of People with Disabilities (NCPWD).
Prior to the 2022 general elections, he made an unexpected announcement that he will be retiring from politics “to give other people with disabilities a chance to make a difference in parliament” and to focus on his personal life.
The following is a summary of David Ole Sankok family and other details, including his education and career.
David Ole Sankok family
David Ole Sankok is a family man and has never shied away from expressing his love for his family openly.
He married his wife, Hellen Seiyanoi Sankok, when he was 21 years old before he even started university studies.
Sankok met Hellen when she was still a student at Ole Tips Girls and developed a relationship with her.
However, due to his paralysis, he was a bit skeptical of the relationship.
They are blessed with six children, two girls and four boys, including their late son, Hillary Memusi Sankok.
On one social media site, David Ole Sankok family is described as “the only family in the entire world that loves people with disabilities from the bottom of their hearts.”
David Ole Sanko’s son
Memusi Hillary Sankok, the son of David Ole Sankok, died on May 2, 2022, at the age of 15.
He was the fourth born in the family.
Memusi died of a single gunshot wound to the head at their Ewaso Nyiro home in Narok County. He killed himself with his father’s gun.
Memusi allegedly had disagreements with his father about his academic performance in school.
However, the precise cause of his alleged suicidal ideation has yet to be determined.
Memusi Sankok was a Form Four student at Kericho High School at the time of his death.
David Ole Sankok biography
Dr. Ole Sankok was born in Entolol Location, Narok County, on December 11, 1978. He had a normal childhood and played just like any other kid until 1989, when a doctor’s injection completely paralyzed his right leg.
David Sankok lives up to the mantra “disability is not inability”, and Sankok’s determination to succeed despite all odds has earned him accolades over the years.
For example, during the 2019 Mashujaa Day National Celebrations, Ole Sankok was honored as a hero on behalf of Kenya’s six million disabled citizens.
David Sankok is also one of the few politicians who have achieved wealth through sweat, sacrifice, and hard work.
Education
David Ole Sankok began his primary education at Ole Sankala Primary School in 1985 and finished it in 1991 before moving on to Kericho High School for his secondary education, which he completed in 1995. He served as the school captain for a short time in high school.
Following that, in 1998, he enrolled at the prestigious University of Nairobi to study medicine and surgery.
He was elected chairman of the Student Organization of Nairobi University (SONU) in 2000, while still a student at the university. This was a significant moment for Sankok because his daughter, Naserian, was born on the same day as his inauguration.
However, his tenure as SONU chairman lasted only seven months before being terminated. The suspension was the result of a squabble with the authorities over the introduction of parallel degree programs. As a result, he was suspended from the university for 15 years.
David Sankok was also the chairman of the Nairobi University Association of the Disabled.
Following the suspension, Sankok was arrested 11 times within a span of 7 months and had his life threatened three times: in Kericho, Thika Road, and Narok.
As a result, he fled to Norway, where he enrolled at Bergen University and earned a Diploma in Medical Research from the institution in 2003.
The new government later granted amnesty to all suspended university students in 2002. David went back to Kenya and resumed his studies at the University of Nairobi. In 2005, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Medicine (Surgery).
Career
Ole Sankok’s political career began while he was still in university. This is when he was elected chairman of SONU.
He served as a director and board member of the National Government Affirmative Action Fund from 2012 to 2014.
In 2014, he also became the chairman of the National Council of Persons with Disabilities (NCPWDs), a position he held until 2017.
Sankok was then nominated to the National Assembly in 2017 as a member of the Jubilee Party to represent people with disabilities (PWDs).
Aside from being a politician, Sankok also works in other different sectors, including real estate, farming, and as the director and proprietor of OSIM country lodge.
Moreover, Sankok has also served as a member of the Departmental Committee on Labor and Social Welfare and the Committee on Appointments, as well as chairman of FINAD and the Narok Central Business Association (NCBA), among others.
He served as a nominated MP for People with Disabilities (PWDs) until the 2022 general elections, when he stepped down from politics to focus on his personal life.
Prior to leaving politics, he landed a great opportunity at the United Nations (UN) as an African special advisor on the United Nations Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities in 2021.
David Ole Sankok disability
Dr. David Ole Sankok was born healthy and without disabilities, and he enjoyed playing football and sprinting. This, however, changed when he contracted pneumonia and became disabled at the age of 12.
Sankok became ill on one August evening in 1989 and was rushed to Naivasha Hospital. Upon his arrival, he was diagnosed with pneumonia, and the doctors gave him an injection that changed his life forever.
His right leg was completely paralyzed by the doctor’s injection, and he faced social segregation, seclusion, ridicule, and stigmatization since then (that is during his childhood), particularly from kids who bullied him.
It’s not often that a botched medical procedure turns out to be a blessing in disguise, but for Ole Sankok, his disability was the start of a new, fulfilling life.
He once stated that if he had not been paralyzed, his life could have been much worse.
All along, he had wanted to become a moran and a cattle rustler, but after losing his leg, he had no choice but to focus on his studies.
The incident changed his life from being a Moran to an MP and has given him many more opportunities.
Recap on David Ole Sankok Family
David Ole Sankok Family and living with disability serve as a reminder that having a physical limitation is not a bad thing. Sankok believes that when disabled people are empowered, they perform as well as, if not better than, the able-bodied.
He has been a great inspiration and role model to many people, particularly people with disabilities, demonstrating that they can always achieve their dreams regardless of their circumstances and that there are no less human beings.
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