Meet George Wajackoyah: The presidential candidate seeking to legalise bhang in Kenya

Professor George Luchiri Wajackoyah has become something of a social media sensation after announcing that if elected the fifth president of the Republic of Kenya, he would legalize the use of marijuana.

Wajakoyah, who has since been cleared by the electoral commission IEBC to vie for the presidency in the August elections, also promised to create employment by allowing the sale of marijuana both locally and internationally.

Prof. Wajackoyah has run an unconventional presidential campaign complete with the most unusual. Comical theatrics that include dancing to reggae music, sometimes while clad in Rastafari attire and wearing headgear which he often says brings freshness and youthfulness to the fore.

But who exactly is George Luchiri Wajakoyah?

The 61-year-old professor was born in Matungu in the western part of Kenya. Unfortunately, his parents divorced and abandoned him at the age of three. Frustrated and in a quest to find his mother, Wajackoyah went to Busia, with an aim of travelling to Uganda, where it was claimed that she had moved to.

But he was unsuccessful in his bid to reunite with his mother. He met many challenges along the way. But he also met strangers who were willing to give him a helping hand.

With nowhere to go, Wajackoyah moved to Nairobi where he spent years on the streets of Nairobi, roaming around with other boys who were also homeless before a well-wisher rescued him.

He was lucky when the then Education Minister, the late Joseph Kamotho, was informed of his plight and helped pay his school fees at St. Peter’s Mumias Boys High School for his A-levels.

He graduated with a master of law in development from the University of Warwick in 1998 and a master of laws (us law)  in 2006 from the University of Baltimore.

Wajackoyah is the founding partner of Luchiri & Co Advocates and has practised law for at least 25 years.

Like his campaign, Wajackoyah’s post-election plans are equally unconventional. If elected president, the lawyer is pledging to create eight prime minister positions in his government, suspend the constitution for six months, change working days to Monday through Thursday,  and clear Kenya's loans through sale of marijuana.

Wajackoyah, who is running on a Roots Party ticket has named Justina Wambui Wamae as his running mate.