How Scout Movement helps in shaping leadership at an early age
By Dickson Odhiambo
April 13, 2021
How Scout Movement helps in shaping leadership at an early age
FOR many people across the country, the issue of scouting may be viewed as a lesser activity and a waste of more time but a few understands it fully.
Like Laban Odhiambo who is a veteran scout leader in the Country and mentored many leaders including the Member of Parliament for Nakuru East Constituency and Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, he knows what the scouting movement has done in terms of mentoring leadership at an early age among young boys and girls.
Many people too have passed through his hands in scouting movement in Kenya and he is the one who initiated the current Chief Commissioner of the Kenya Scouts Association, Victor Radido into the movement.
Odhiambo, who has been nicknamed Master, worked for the Kenya Railway Corporation from early 80s.
Throughout his career which began in Nakuru, he used his influence to support local scouting and ensured it grows well from the grass root.
Each year, he could sample scouts from different schools and patrols, sponsor their trip to and from Mombasa.
He became very popular among fellow leaders and school heads. Scouting also grew and became popular through his initiatives.
According to him, the number of scouts grew rapidly and with time, the number of his team also grew rapidly.
“When I moved to Kisumu through a transfer, my love for scouting moved with me and I ensured the Scout movement’s presence is felt at the grass root level,” Laban says
In Kisumu, he met the current Chief Commissioner of the Kenya Scouts Association Victor Radido and the current Kolwa Central Member of the County Assembly of Kisumu George Olwal at their tender ages.
He must have quickly noticed their determination and with their love and dedication in Scouting, the two became members of his Patrol.
The current Chief Commissioner, Victor Radido, was recruited into Scouting while at Kisumu Union Primary School in 1989 under the headship of Mrs Aluso while his Patrol leader then, was George Olwal, the current MCA Kolwa Central, Kisumu.
Victor Radido then joined Railways troop under the leadership of Odhiambo and the late Leonard Ondili, from Eldoret.
He moved on and became a Patrol leader of Kisumu Day High School and later became a Group Scout leader at Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) before joining the leadership of Kisumu Municipality Scouts.
He was recruited into the Municipality Scouting by Wilfred Odotte, Ken Odhiambo, the late Daniel Owino, Tom Owuor and Leonard Ong'udi where he later met Jacob Odhiambo, an Education officer who mentored him also.
He was then appointed to the position of a Program Commissioner at the Municipality level.
Radido became an Area Commissioner in 2009 and was later elected the County Commissioner in 2012 where he advanced as the Chair of the Forum. In between, Radido had served as the Secretary for Nyanza region.
Radido would later take the leadership of the Kenya Scouts Association as the Chief Commissioner where he serves to date after his leadership skills were nurtured at a tender age.
As the Chief Commissioner of the Kenya Scouts Association, he has shown great leadership prowess and advanced the movement to global levels with the help of a well-coordinated approach implemented by a host of highly qualified team of professionals.
“The association is currently standing at a membership of It has 323,929 members registered youths across the 47 counties with the latest global achievement being, to host the first Africa Rover Moot in 2023,” Radido says
Back to the master, after his retirement, Odhiambo settled in Homa Bay County, Ndhiwa Constituency where he bought land and built his retirement home.
The veteran scout leader is still fondly remembered by leaders whom he mentored and as a great leader, he remembers most of his students by their names.
He is widely known as a straight-forward person, a disciplinarian, and a stringent leader. He is welcoming, accommodative and supportive with a warm personality.
According to him, once a Scout is always a Scout and advises that those in positions of influence should always do the best in helping others.
Due to his great leadership skills, Radido has shown interest in the 2022 race for Kisumu Central Parliamentary seat though it is not clear on which ticket.
According to a hand book from the Kenya Scouts Association, Scouting began in Kenya on November 24, 1910.
Nearly 100years later, Scouting has grown from a fledgling concept to an international phenomena.
Today, Many Kenyans proudly claim to be the world’s largest single voluntary youth movement dedicated to building character and giving young people the skills to be better people and better citizens.
Scouting’s worldwide success results from its ability to adapt to different cultures and aspirations, while at the same time remaining faithful to the original ideals of Scouting’s founder, Lord Baden Powell.
These are embodied in the threefold principle of the Scout Promise. Firstly: service to God; secondly: service to country and to others, and; thirdly: service to self through good character
Scouting in Kenya focuses on urban and rural community development needs.
Community service is required for the early rank advancement and includes hospital visits, blood donations, helping the aged, planting trees, adult literacy campaigns, road and bridge construction, first aid training, building schools and homes for the aged, as well as many other projects.The conservation of nature is a major program emphasis.
The senior conservation badge is a required badge in order to earn the highest rank, Lion Scout. Scouting in Kenya is a co-educational programme, open to both boys and girls.
The Scout Motto is Uwe Tayari in Kiswahili which means "Be Prepared".
ENDS:
.jpg)
Ok
ReplyDeleteGood one
ReplyDeleteThanks
ReplyDelete