Joseph Jama Ole Lenku (born October 20, 1970) is a Kenyan politician who serves as the second Governor of Kajiado County. His political career is characterized by his transition from the corporate hospitality sector to a prominent role in the national cabinet, followed by his successful tenure as a county executive. Born in Lenkisim, Kajiado County, Ole Lenku was raised in a pastoralist household. His father, Lenku Ole Mpaa Kapei, was a senior chief of Kajiado South and a respected leader within the Maasai community. Ole Lenku’s early education was marked by mobility, as he attended multiple primary schools in the region before enrolling at Nakuru High School in 1987, where he completed his secondary education in 1990. Following high school, Ole Lenku pursued a career in the hospitality and tourism industry. He earned a diploma in Hotel Management from the Kenya Utalii College in 1995. He later advanced his academic qualifications at the University of Nairobi, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing and a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management. He also holds certifications in Project Management from the Ote Academy in Greece and in Corporate Governance from the Centre for Corporate Governance in Nairobi. Ole Lenku’s professional career began in the mid-1990s with the Serena Hotels chain. He worked in various capacities, including Assistant Lodge Manager at Lake Manyara and Serengeti Serena lodges in Tanzania, and later served as General Manager at Kilaguni Serena Lodge in Kenya. He eventually returned to the Kenya Utalii College, where he served as General Manager until 2013. Ole Lenku’s foray into politics began prior to his cabinet appointment. He unsuccessfully contested the Kajiado South parliamentary seat in the 2002 general election and the subsequent 2003 by-election. His national profile rose significantly in May 2013 when President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him as the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government. As the first cabinet secretary to lead this newly restructured docket under the 2010 Constitution, his tenure was marked by both significant security initiatives—such as the implementation of the "Nyumba Kumi" community policing framework—and intense public and political scrutiny following several high-profile security challenges, including the 2013 Westgate Shopping Mall attack. He served in the cabinet until December 2014. In 2017, Ole Lenku returned to elective politics, successfully winning the gubernatorial seat of Kajiado County on a Jubilee Party ticket. He was re-elected for a second term in the 2022 general election, this time running on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) platform. His governorship has focused on infrastructure development, healthcare expansion, and water accessibility, with his administration emphasizing the improvement of the county’s referral hospital facilities and the construction of educational infrastructure. Ole Lenku is married to Edna Chelangat Lenku. Beyond his political duties, he has become a notable figure in Maasai community leadership, frequently participating in cultural and development advocacy for the region.