Richard Leakey

Richard Erskine Frere Leakey (born 19 December 1944 in Nairobi, Kenya), is a paleontologist, archaeologist and conservationist. He is the second of the three sons of the archaeologists Louis Leakey and Mary Leakey. A high school drop-out, Leakey discovered his love of paleontology when he led an expedition to a fossil site he had discovered while flying. Frustrated by the lack of recognition he received for his accomplishments due to his lack of scientific credentials, Leakey left for England to catch up on his high school education. However, after six months, Leakey returned home to continue his safaris. He never completed his degree.

Politics

In May 1995 Richard Leakey joined a group of Kenyan intellectuals in launching a new political party - the Safina Party. "If KANU and Mr. Moi will do something about the deterioration of public life, corruption and mismanagement, I'd be happy to fight alongside them. If they won't, I want somebody else to do it," announced Richard Leakey. The Safina party was routinely harassed and even its application to become an official political party was not approved till 1997.

Related Topics:
May - 1995 - Political party - Safina Party - KANU - 1997

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In 1999, Moi had to appoint Richard Leakey as Cabinet Secretary and overall head of the civil service at the insistence of international donor institutions as a pre-condition for the resumption of donor funds. Leakey's second stint in the civil service lasted till 2001 when he was forced to resign again.

Related Topics:
1999 - Civil service - 2001

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The 27 November 2004 edition of the Kenyan newspaper Daily Nation reported that Dr. Leakey is proposing himself and others for jobs in KWS http://www.nationmedia.com/dailynation/nmgcontententry.asp?category_id=1&newsid=20630.

Related Topics:
27 November - 2004 - Daily Nation

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