About The Author
My name is Dr. Jamlick Micheni Muthuuri, born on August 13, 1953, in Chuka, Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya. I was one of twelve siblings, all born to my mother. My parents, Ezekiel Muthuuri and Judith Ciambuba, are both deceased.
My father was a coffee farmer, tailor, shopkeeper, and carpenter—a true Jack of all trades. While he may not have been a master of any single craft, he did what was necessary to feed, clothe, and educate his children. My mother was a stay-at-home mom and a subsistence farmer. She passed away in 2000 at the age of 76, from breast cancer, diagnosed very late. My father lived a long and full life, passing away in 2011 at 91, likely due to a heart attack related to hypertension.
Early Life and Education
I was born on a warm, sunny morning during the Mau-Mau uprising, Kenya’s liberation struggle. In our small village and the surrounding regions, life seemed to pause—people lived in fear, and even time felt frozen. My early childhood memories are sparse, yet the few I recall are vivid and often filled with fear. I grew up in a typical rural setting, surrounded by mud houses with thatched roofs, roaming livestock, and small farms growing bananas, yams, cassava, maize, beans, sorghum, millet, and peas. During rainy seasons, food was plentiful, and life felt abundant.
I attended local primary and secondary schools before advancing to A-levels, which, at the time, were required for university entrance in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. I was fortunate to be admitted to Strathmore College, a highly prestigious high school, for my A-levels. From there, I joined the University of Nairobi, where I pursued medical training, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine & Surgery (1983) and a Master’s degree in General Surgery (1988). My undergraduate journey was repeatedly disrupted by student riots, which led to long interruptions. I was never involved in activism—studying medicine was challenging enough—but the 1982 attempted coup against President Moi resulted in the university’s closure, forcing me into an almost year-long academic break (August 1982 – May 1983).
Medical Career and Specialization
After nearly two decades as a general surgeon, I sought further specialization in orthopaedics. My transformation began with AO courses in Davos, Switzerland, followed by an AO fellowship at Queens Medical Centre in Nottingham and The Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem. Later, I pursued clinical orthopaedics at KwaZulu-Natal University in Durban, South Africa.
I felt the need to furthering my expertise, particularly specialization in spine surgery. I enrolled for a two-year course (9 modules) in EccElearning (a comprehensive Masters-level course in spine surgery, endorsed by the European Spine Journal, and CME accredited by the EACCME). That enabled me to sit for a European Higher Diploma in Spine Surgery (AOSpine).
My passion for learning ultimately led me to pursue a PhD, which I completed in 2019, focusing on the effects of early nutrition on spine development.
Publications
Beyond my medical career, I have written numerous scientific articles. I have also written a few blogs. In secondary school, I excelled in English Literature and History, apart from mathematics physical sciences. Although I took a scientific trajectory, my love for writing and history lingered on. While in high school, I attempted creative writing—but that story never took off. Over time, I took courses and invested in learning the art of storytelling.
The COVID-19 pandemic provided an unexpected opportunity, of idleness I could not tolerate. From that period of stillness emerged this book, “The Vulture’s Feather.”
Personal Life and Interests
I am happily married, with four grown children and three grandchildren. My wife and I live together, and I consider myself a workaholic and a perfectionist. I am meticulous about meeting deadlines and take great pride in completing tasks efficiently. I am an avid reader, drawn to real-life stories, history, politics, religion, and philosophy. My hobbies include playing golf and traveling.
I am a member and fellow of multiple professional societies.
Now semi-retired, I aspire to dedicate more time to writing, exploring fiction, and bringing new stories to life. Writing, after all, is another form of surgery—this time, on the mind and soul.
Dr. Micheni Muthuuri