MAKAWITI, DOMINIC WERE

Dominic Were Makawiti (4 August 1955 – 20 April 2018) was a distinguished Kenyan biochemist, educator, and university leader whose academic and administrative contributions helped shape higher education and scientific research in Kenya and across Africa.

PHOTO CAPTION: Dominic Were Makawiti. SOURCE: EA Library.

He was born on 4 August 1955 in Kisumu County, Nyanza Province, Kenya, to Paul Awiti Odongo and Sulema Owuor Awiti, where his early life laid the foundation for a lifelong passion for science and education.

Makawiti’s formal education began at Nyabondo Secondary School, where he completed his O-Level studies with excellent results. After graduating, he enrolled at Kenya Science Teachers College, earning the S1 Teacher Education Certificate (Diploma in Education) in 1976. His strong academic performance earned him admission to the University of Nairobi, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry and Chemistry in 1979. Demonstrating exceptional scholastic ability, Makawiti went on to pursue postgraduate studies at King’s College School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, where he completed his PhD in Reproductive Biochemistry in 1984.

Shortly after earning his doctorate, Makawiti began his academic career at the University of Nairobi. Starting as a graduate assistant in the Reproductive Biology Unit of the Department of Animal Physiology in 1980, he steadily advanced through academic ranks over the ensuing decades.

By 1985 he was appointed a lecturer, later becoming senior lecturer, associate professor, and ultimately ascending to full Professor of Biochemistry in 1998. His academic journey was marked by excellence in teaching, research, supervision, and institutional leadership.

Throughout his tenure at Nairobi, Makawiti held numerous leadership positions that demonstrated his commitment to academic excellence and institutional development. From 1992 to 2002, he served as Chairman of the Department of Biochemistry, where he played a central role in curriculum development and strengthening the department’s research profile.

In 1994, he was appointed Associate Dean of Pre-Clinical Departments in the College of Health Sciences, guiding the formative education of health science students. In 2002, he became Dean of the School of Medicine, a role he held for two terms, during which he contributed significantly to the expansion and quality of medical training at the university.

In February 2007, Makawiti took on the role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic Affairs) at Maseno University, and in February 2011 he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the same institution. As Vice-Chancellor, he was instrumental in strengthening academic policies, expanding degree programs, and enhancing the university’s research capacity. His tenure saw the consolidation of Maseno’s School of Medicine, a key milestone in the university’s development that responded to national needs for well-trained health professionals.

Makawiti was deeply involved in teaching across disciplines, including medicine, veterinary medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, nursing, agriculture, and pure sciences. He supervised more than 20 postgraduate theses and served as a guest lecturer and external examiner for universities across Africa, including in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Ghana, Uganda, and Nigeria. His influence extended well beyond Kenya, contributing to the development of academic standards throughout the region.

As a researcher, Makawiti’s interests were broad and impactful. He focused on biochemical endocrinology, examining steroid hormones and their metabolites, methods for hormone identification and quantification, natural plant products affecting fertility, the impact of diseases such as trypanosomosis on endocrine systems, nutritional bioenergetics, and the effects of antiretroviral drugs on endocrine function. His research contributed to an improved scientific understanding of complex biological processes relevant to health and disease in East Africa.

Beyond his university roles, Makawiti played an active leadership role in scientific and professional societies. He served as Secretary and later Chairman of the Biochemical Society of Kenya, President of the Federation of African Societies of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Secretary of the Natural Products Research Network for Eastern and Central Africa-Kenya (NAPRECA-K), and Treasurer of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences. He also contributed to governance and advisory bodies such as the International Council for Science (ICSU) Regional Committee for Africa, among others, demonstrating his commitment to advancing science at both national and continental levels.

In recognition of his contributions to education, research, and service to the nation, Makawiti was awarded the Head of State Commendation (HSC) by the President of Kenya in 2006, a prestigious honor highlighting his impact on Kenya’s academic landscape. He was also a member of numerous scientific societies, including the Natural Product Research Network for Eastern and Central Africa (NAPRECA), the Biochemical Society of Kenya (BSK), the Kenya Physiological Society (KPS), the International Association for the Study of Medicinal Forest Plants (IAMFP), the National Geographic Society (USA), and the Biochemical Society of Great Britain, among others.

 Dominic Were Makawiti passed away on 20 April 2018 in Nairobi. His funeral was attended by dignitaries and community leaders, who praised him as a visionary, mentor, and leader who lived a life of service and integrity.

He is remembered as a dedicated scholar, an inspiring teacher, and a visionary leader who contributed greatly to scientific research and university education in Kenya. His legacy continues to live on through the many students he mentored and the institutions he helped to build.

EA EDITORS