Nyong'o studied for his undergraduate course at Makerere University in Uganda where he was awarded a 1st Class Honours Degree in Political science. He furthered his studies at the University of Chicago and obtained a Master's and a Ph.D. in political science. He has worked as a professor of political science at the UON and as a visiting professor in various Universities in Mexico and Addis Ababa until 1987 before becoming the head of programs at the African Academy of sciences. He is the current Kisumu county Governor.