Barely a month ago, he was seeking clearance to run for a parliamentary seat.
But a tactical move by former Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma now means Tom Ndalo may become Kisumu County Deputy Governor in the few weeks.
My dad worked in different towns, so I had the opportunity to live in different parts of the country
Tom Ndalo
When Lake Region Bulletin caught up with him, the 48-year-old father of four was full of confidence.
He claims he is the final stroke that Ranguma has unleashed to break Anyang’ Nyong’o’s back.
“It is a great honour to work with Ranguma, and I am not going to disappoint,” he said.
Early life
Tom Ndalo was born 48 years ago to Nicholas Ndalo and Sophia Ambuso of Kandalo village in Nyahera, Kisumu West.
He is the eighth born in a family of 12 children.
“My dad worked in different towns, so I had the opportunity to live in different parts of the country,” he says.
Ndalo was born in Mombasa and spent better part of his primary education in Kitale.
He attended Kakamega High School, before joining Kenyatta University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.
He furthered his education by undertaking a Masters Degree in Business Administration at Maseno University.
Ndalo the learned friend
But this was not enough.
Ndalo also pursued a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Nairobi, and a Masters of Law degree from the same institution.
I have also earned a number of international certification in the banking sector
Tom Ndalo
He then completed the mandatory Law Diploma from the Kenya School of Law before being admitted into the bar.
“I have also earned a number of international certification in the banking sector,” he said.
Mr Ndalo has spent the better part of his career in the private sector.
He attributes his career success to his wife banker wife Jael Hawala, and his dad Ndalo Senior whom he said was an astute disciplinarian.
The banking sector
He began as a Management Trainee at Barclays Bank (now Absa Bank) in 1998.
He worked here for seven years.
In 2005, he moved to Cooperative Bank as the Head of Retail Sales.
He moved to Kenya Commercial Bank in 2008 to head Personal Banking and Sales.
And in 2014, he was appointed the Executive Director and Claster Head of Domestic Banking at EcoBank East Africa.
He resigned from the job in 2015, and ventured into consultancy world.
“I did a lot of consultancies in offshore structuring, financial sourcing, and a range of other banking and financial services,” he notes.
In 2018, Ndalo opened his Ndalo and Associates Law firm in Nairobi, and then a branch in Kisumu few years later.
Politics
It was after his exiting of the banking sector that his interest in public office sprouted.
“You know, the banking sector is a disciplined field, and when you are there, it is difficult to mix it with other things,” he said.
Ndalo’s first attempt in political office came in 2017 when he unsuccessfully ran for Kisumu Senatorial seat.
“I was new in politics, and I have learnt from a lot of mistakes I made during the race,” he says.
In 2022, Ndalo shifted base to run for a parliamentary seat in his rural Kisumu West Constituency on an ODM Party ticket.
The party however issued a direct ticket to a different aspirant.
“We were all prepared for the race, and we only learnt of the direct ticket hours to the polls, after we had even recruited polling agents,” he adds.
Ranguma encounter
Due to pressure from the voters, Ndalo moved to seek clearance to get to the ballot on an independent ticket.
It was while he was pursuing this dream that Ranguma came calling.
I was going for a parliamentary seat, and I ended up in the Deputy Governor ticket. I am humbled,
Tom Ndalo
For Mr Ndalo, he had aimed at the moon, and hit the sun.
“I was going for a parliamentary seat, and I ended up in the Deputy Governor ticket. I am humbled,” he says.
Ranguma, who is the pioneer Kisumu Governor is seeking to reclaim the seat on Movement for Democratic Growth (MDG) party ticket.
The gubernatorial battle
Ranguma and Ndalo ticket will face Nyong’o and Dr Mathews Owili ticket.
“As advocates, we are good at taking instructions from our clients, and I am ready to take instructions from my Governor who has entrusted me to help him clinch the seat, and run the government together,” says Ndalo.
Ndalo’s confidence is on another level.
“Governor (Ranguma) is known for integrity and service delivery. I am going to complement that, as that is what I stand for, having served in the banking sector, handling billions, but left without any blemish,” he said.
“I am one of the few people that Central Bank have done a fit and proper check on, and have been given a clean bill of health,” he adds.
Ndalo says he is bringing a wealth of networks to Ranguma government, having interacted with both local and international investors.
And with less than two months to the general election, Ndalo’s plate is full.
“Ours is to ensure that we deliver the victory, and get down to serve the people of Kisumu who have been orphaned in the last five years,” he says.