Senator Mungatana after earning PhD: ‘Tougher than running for office’

Tana River Senator Dr Danson Buya Mungatana has announced with joy on Facebook that he has officially earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Management and Leadership from the Management University of Africa (MUA).

In a heartfelt post, he expressed gratitude to God, his academic supervisors, family, and everyone who supported him on this long journey.

“Thanks be to God I graduated,” Dr Mungatana wrote, reflecting on his academic path, which began with an LLB (Law), moved to a Masters in International Trade and Development Law (LLM), and now culminated in a PhD.

He described this latest academic pursuit as especially rigorous.

“This degree was particularly challenging because I moved away from my comfort zone in law to regression curves and relative coefficients.”

He also gave special thanks to his supervisors, Prof Emmanuel Awuor and Dr Zakayo Ole Mapelu, as well as Dr James Mwikya, who he said supported him throughout.

He acknowledged the sacrifice of his wife, Mwanaisha, saying: “This PhD is tougher than running for public office and if you do not have your wife’s vote you cannot go far.”

Although she was out of the country during his studies, he said their firstborn, Elsie, represented the family at his graduation.

Dr Mungatana credited a wider community for his success, calling the PhD “truly a community project.”

He thanked his colleagues, the staff at MUA, and all who helped him over many years.

He pledged to use his new qualification both in practice and academia, saying he plans to give back through service and teaching.

He also offered encouragement to others pursuing education: “Those still in the trenches, do not give up, keep pushing…. it will be well at the end. God bless you.”

A brief look at his background shows why this milestone is significant.

Dr Mungatana is a trained lawyer and career politician. According to public records, he holds both an LLB and LLM from the University of Nairobi.

He has served in Parliament, including as MP for Garsen Constituency, and has held various roles including as an Assistant Minister in multiple ministries.

Currently, he is Senator for Tana River County.

Comments on his post show widespread congratulations from colleagues in politics and from his constituents, though full comment threads are not publicly available for verification.

Many praised his dedication, humility, and commitment to lifelong learning.