Aston Lukoye
Friends School Kamusinga is a boys’ boarding national school found at the foot of Mt Elgon in Kimilili constituency, Bungoma county.
It attained the status of a National school in 2011 from the Ministry of Education due to its stellar performances under the stewardship of then principal Mr Edwin Namachanja.
Known for its excellence in academics and co- activities, Kamusinga has been a force of reckon for decades now since it’s establishment in 1956 by the Friends Quaker missionaries led by the Late Allan Bradley.
It sits in a 58-acre land in a green & serene environment. The purpose of the establishment of the institution was that it serves as a transfer unit of Friends School Kaimosi from in Vihiga County by Allan Bradley. He is remembered by the school in “Allan Bradley Day,” the first was on February 18, 2006. The day is celebrated in memory of the founder through a sports tourney named; Allan Bradley Open Tournament. The event is held annually and only didn’t take place only in 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic that had hit the country thus closure of sports activities in schools.
The institution has set itself as an academic giant in Western Kenya and Kenya at large, producing top KCSE results in each academic year. In the 2021 KCSE exams, “Kamu” as popularly known to natives recorded a mean of 9.61 with 96% of the students sealing direct entry to the university.
The school is currently headed by Mr Alex Kariuki as the principal, it has an approximate number of 1400 students with 80 teaching staff. It has excelled in producing great minds in the country and across the globe.
Some of the alumnus of the institution who were guided by the motto “ Use Common Sense ” include former Health cabinet secretary Dr Cleopa Mailu, Hon Moses Wetangula, senator Bungoma county, Hon Chris Wamalwa, MP Kiminini, Hon Cleophas Malala, senator Kakamega county, The late Chris Kirubi, CEO of Centum Investments, Mr John Wakwabubi, principal Malava Boy’s High School among others.
In co- curricular activities, Kamusinga has excelled in each discipline and produced great stars who have carried the Kenyan flag high at international levels. The school boasts of having standard sports facilities that has enabled them win many accolades both locally and internationally.
The school hockey team has won the Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association national hockey competitions for a record of 18 times as well as the East Africa regional championships in different occasions with the recent one being in 2019 since its introduction in the school by former principal Ambassador Simon Nabukwesi.
The school basketball team “Tigers” has been a bigwig for sometime now, It has represented the Western region at the national level since 2004.
In 2009 it was the first runner-up while in 2011 it was the 2nd runner-up at the K.S.S.S.A. (Kenya Secondary Schools Sports Association) national term 1A ball games. Over the years the school has continued to be one of the best basketball teams in the country and East Africa games because of its sterling performance. Tiger’s is the team that laid the foundation of Bakken Bears and Kenya Moran’s star Tyler Ongwae as he captained the school team in his heydays at FSK.
Friends School Kamusinga also have a state of art swimming pool and it produces quality swimmers who have went on ahead to feature for the national teams.
Some of the famous sportsmen who studied at Kamusinga and rose up to fame in Kenya include Africa’s fastest man Ferdinand Omanyala who while at school traded his talent in rugby 7s before switching his career to athletics while at the University of Nairobi, Kenya national basketball star Tylor Ongwae Okari who plies trade abroad with Bakken Bears in Denmark.
The football team popularly known as “Kami Kaze” has natured talent that has earned recognition at the international stage. Former Harambee stars captain/striker Paul Mungai Kiongera is one of decorated players in Kenya who emerged from Kamusinga. He has played for Kenyan Premier League giants AFC Leopards SC, Gor Mahia FC, KCB FC, Ushuru FC, Wazito FC and Sofapaka FC. He has played for Kenya and scored 11 goals in his 23 appearances.
Apart from Kiongera, Tom Adwar is also one of the finest talent that was natured in Kamusinga. Adwar featured for Muhoroni Youth FC, Kakamega Homeboyz, Nakumatt FC, Sofapaka FC, Tusker FC before landing an academic-soccer in the States with Murray State College where he pursued and graduated in accounting.
The student’s at FSK don grey trousers, white shirts, navy blue pullovers and blue-white stripped ties.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings