Department of Biological Sciences

School of Natural Science

P.O. Box 190-50100

Kakamega, KENYA

Office No. SPD 2^nd Floor Room 207

Kakamega-Webuye Road

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Links: linkedin.com/in/nicholas-kitungulu-a7088231

Links: https://africanscientists.africa/business-directory/kitungulu/

Links:  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kitungulu-Nicholas

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9505-5466

Researcher ID: AAK-5378-2021

Google Scholar: CTdPVOYAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

Kitungulu Nicholas, PhD

Dr. Kitungulu Nicholas is an academic, scientist and public health leader currently serving as the County Executive Committee Member (County Minister) for Health Services in the County Government of Vihiga. He holds a PhD in Medical Biotechnology from Maseno University and brings a strong One Health and climate change perspective to health systems strengthening and disease control.

His expertise spans malaria control and prevention, climate-sensitive disease surveillance, and integration of research evidence into public health decision-making. He established a fully functional mosquito insectary at MMUST, which serves as a key platform for malaria vector research, capacity building, and student training. Dr. Kitungulu has received research funding from the National Research Fund (Kenya) and a PhD scholarship from HELB, and he is currently leading and collaborating on several malaria-related research projects in western Kenya.

Prior to his leadership role in county government, Dr. Kitungulu worked at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Centre for Global Health Research, in the Climate and Human Health Research Division, and later joined Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology as an Assistant Lecturer. He has also served as a Research Fellow at the University of Massachusetts Laboratory at KEMRI, Kisumu, building strong links between academic research and public health practice.

In the County Government, Dr. Kitungulu initially served in the Agriculture, Livestock, and Blue Economy docket before transitioning to the Health Services portfolio. In his current role, he has spearheaded the development of Agriculture and health-related bills and Acts, policy frameworks, and departmental strategic plans, contributing to improved governance, service delivery, and resilience of the county Agriculture and health systems. His leadership emphasizes on data-driven decision-making, intersectoral collaboration, and sustainable public health interventions aligned with national and global health priorities.

Dr. Kitungulu has a solid scientific background in malaria research, vector-borne diseases, and molecular biology, which informs his evidence-based approach to health policy development, planning, and implementation.

Some of his latest key published works include:

1. Janet Tarus , John Muoma , Dennis M.W. Ochieno , Maurice Omolo , Kelvin Kiprotich , Nicholas Kitungulu,Jackson Cheruiyot. Elevation of cytokines and antibodies in guinea pigs experimentally infected with Tunga penetrans.Published on 26th May 2025 in Exploration of Immunology. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37349/ei.2025.1003198
2. Diana Musungu Waiswa, Kipcho Davis Mukabane ,Nicholas Ligayo Kitungulu, David Hughes Mulama, Jackson Korir Cheruyoit. Prevalence and diversity of Plasmodium species in pregnant women attending antenatal clinics in selected health centers of Kakamega County, Western Kenya. Published on 11th October 2022 in Scientific Africa. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2022.e01392
3. Davis Kipcho Mukabane, Nicholas Kitungulu, Philip A Ogutu, Jackson Cheruiyot Korir, David Hughes Mulama. Assessment of knowledge of malaria and its control practices in mining and sugarcane growing regions of Western Kenya highlands.Published: 29 July 2022. African Health Sciences. https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ahs/article/view/228871
4. Kitungulu, Nicholas, Bernard Guyah, Mark Webale, Nathan Shaviya, Maxwell Machani, David Mulama, and Bryson Ndenga. "Resistance of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato to Pirimiphos-methyl Insecticide in Kakamega County, Highlands of Western Kenya." African Health Sciences 22, no. 1 (2022): 589-97.3.DOI: https://doi.org/10.4314/ahs.v22i1.68.
5. Nicholas, Kitungulu, Guyah Bernard, Ndenga Bryson, Kipcho Mukabane, Mark Kilongosi, Stephen Ayuya, and David Hughes Mulama. "Abundance and distribution of malaria vectors in various aquatic habitats and land use types in kakamega county, highlands of Western Kenya." Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences 31, no. 2 (2021). DOI:https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v31i2.7
6. Mukabane, Kipcho, Nicholas Kitungulu, Philip Ogutu, Jackson Cheruiyot, Ndombi Tavasi, and David Mulama. "Bed net use and malaria treatment-seeking behavior in artisanal gold mining and sugarcane growing areas of Western Kenya highlands." Scientific African 16 (2022): e01140. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2022.e01140
7. Webale, M. K., Wanjala, C., Guyah, B., Shaviya, N., Munyekenye, G. O., Nyanga, P. L., ... & Kitungulu, N. (2020). Epidemiological patterns and antimicrobial resistance of bacterial diarrhea among children in Nairobi City, Kenya. Gastroenterology and Hepatology from Bed to Bench, 13(3), 238.DOI:  https://doi.org/10.22037/ghfbb.v13i3.1910
8. Webale, Mark Kilongosi, Bernard Guyah, Christine Wanjala, Peter Lokamar Nyanga, Sella K. Webale, Collins Abonyo, Nicholas Kitungulu, Nathan Kiboi, and Nancy Bowen. "Phenotypic and genotypic antibiotic resistant diarrheagenic Escherichia coli pathotypes isolated from children with diarrhea in Nairobi City, Kenya." Ethiopian Journal of Health Sciences 30, no. 6 (2020). DOI:https://doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v30i6.5