Prof. John Krop Lonyang’apuo

Professor John Krop Lonyang’apuo is a prominent Kenyan academic, mathematician, and politician who served as the first Senator (2013–2017) and second Governor (2017–2022) of West Pokot County. Holding a PhD in Applied Mathematics from the University of Leeds, he rose to the rank of full professor and served as a Permanent Secretary under President Mwai Kibaki before entering elective politics. As the founder of the Kenya Union Party (KUP) and current Chairman of the North Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency, Lonyang’apuo has heavily aligned his 2027 gubernatorial comeback bid with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party. Beyond his administrative and academic credentials, he remains a massive national pop-culture figure across East Africa, celebrated for his highly charismatic, theatrical public speeches that frequently spark viral social media memes.