- Collins Otieno, a serving police officer, has just graduated with First Class Honours from Kenyatta University
- His journey is an inspiring testament of determination, having returned to school 14 years after he dropped out
- He told TUKO.co.ke his story is proof that dreams may be delayed, but they don’t have to be denied
Nairobi – When Administration Police (AP) officer Collins Otieno stepped onto the graduation square at Kenyatta University, flanked by proud members of his family, the moment felt almost unreal.
Source: UGC
Years of juggling demanding police duties, family responsibilities and late-night study sessions had finally paid off. Against formidable odds, he had graduated with a First Class Honours degree.
Humble beginnings and interrupted dreams
Otieno told TUKO.co.ke that as a serving police officer, the achievement was more than an academic accolade.
It was a powerful testament to discipline, patience and quiet determination — proof that delayed dreams can still be fulfilled.
Otieno was a strong student in his early secondary school years, but financial hardship repeatedly disrupted his education.
Whenever school fees fell short, he was forced to miss classes, interruptions that gradually took their toll.
By the time he sat his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations in 2008, he scored a B minues, a respectable grade but not enough to secure a university place through the then Joint Admissions Board (JAB).
“My parents simply couldn’t afford university fees,” he recalls. “As the firstborn, I felt a responsibility to support my siblings.”
Otieno’s calling to serve
With limited options, Otieno made the painful decision to put his academic ambitions on hold, choosing instead to focus on lifting his family out of financial strain.
In 2013, necessity led him to join the Administration Police Service. What began as a means of survival soon became a defining chapter in his life.
The job provided stability and enabled him to support his siblings through their education.
“It gave me the foundation I needed to help at home,” he says. “Today, all my siblings are professionals in their fields. One of my brothers even serves as the Director of Communications at KANU, appointed by Gideon Moi in 2023. That gives me immense pride.”
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Kenyatta University student teased for having diploma emotional as he graduates with degree
Source: UGC
Returning to class, 14 years later
Despite the pressures of duty and family life, Otieno never let go of his academic dream.
Fourteen years after leaving high school, he finally enrolled at Kenyatta University, embarking on a journey that demanded resilience at every turn.
“There were days I went straight from night duty to the exam room,” he says. “But I had a vision, and I wasn’t willing to let it die.”
Balancing long shifts with lectures, assignments and examinations became his daily reality. Then, on December 19, the perseverance bore fruit.
Otieno graduated with First Class Honours, an extraordinary achievement for an officer simultaneously serving on the front line.
Otieno dedicated to national security
With more than 12 years of experience in law enforcement, Otieno has built a solid reputation in security and fraud investigations.
He is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a globally recognised qualification in the prevention, detection and investigation of fraud.
He is deeply committed to combating financial crimes and strengthening Kenya’s national and corporate security systems.
Currently, he is attached to the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) headquarters, where he provides security services under the Security of Government Buildings (SGB) Unit.
Otieno’s message of hope
Otieno attributes his success to the unwavering support of his family, lecturers, supervisors and colleagues who believed in him even when the journey seemed overwhelming.
“My story shows that your dream may be delayed, but it doesn’t have to be denied,” he says.
Today, his journey stands as a powerful reminder that perseverance, discipline and faith can turn even the most distant aspirations into reality, and that it is never too late to return to the classroom and rewrite one’s story.
KU student teased over diploma earns degree
Elsewhere, Kelvin Kamau had a moment to remember in 2021 when he was humiliated while collecting his graduation regalia from KU.
The issuing officer asked him to return the gown, cap and tassel he was trying out because “they were for those who did a bachelor’s degree and above.”
The words hurt him but stirred an ambition that led him back to the same university, where he finally donned the gown he had been denied earlier.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
