TRANS NZOIA, Kenya – Outspoken Saboti MP Caleb Amisi has urged President William Ruto and Raila Odinga, the head of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), to rally senators in support of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) Bill.
The ODM MP requested that the previous Premier and the President personally intervene to guarantee that the Bill passes the Senate.
“The president should rally his foot soldiers in the Senate to pass this crucial constitutional amendment bill to save the poor Kenyan children who depend on bursaries issued through the fund,” the lawmaker explained.
The NG-CDF bill should be handled similarly to how the president disqualified his deputy, Rigathi Gachagua, Amisi stated.
“We expect to see the intense lobbying that uprooted the former DP from office applied to save NG-CDF which had transformed the lives of Kenyans,” he added.
What is the state of bursary allocation in Saboti
Amisi spoke when he handed over Sh71 million to principals of all secondary schools across his Saboti constituency, stating that his office would distribute bursaries in two phases due to budgetary limitations.
“My constituency’s schools are overcrowded, and we can’t keep up with the local students’ financial demands. Out of the 26,000 applicants, we are giving cheques to 15,000 students today,” Amisi stated.
MP Amisi stated that the NG-CDF should be constituted and that it has played a significant role in the growth of the nation’s education system.
Citing a drop in school capitation revenues, Amisi accused the administration of having weak budgetary priorities, hence jeopardising education.
The MP denounced as sabotage the government’s decision to lower capitation from 22,000 to 16,000 per student.
“You can play with any other social aspect, but don’t joke with education. All good things that former president Mwai Kibaki (deceased) had initiated in the education sector, such as free education, have been grounded,” lamented Amisi.
Why President Ruto and Raila should act swiftly
Amisi said that impoverished Kenyans would hold the president and ODM leader responsible if the Senate rejected the bill.
“Millions of underprivileged students would suffer a significant setback if the Bill is shot down. “Let the President take personal action to guarantee that the amendment bill passes,” Amisi stated.
As he distributed the Sh71 million in bursaries for deserving pupils in his district, the lawmaker said this move marks a key milestone in the historic Caleb Amisi Bursary Program, aimed at empowering needy students and ensuring that no child is left behind due to lack of school fees.
Trans Nzoia principals received cheques from Amisi, with Kitale National Polytechnic receiving the largest payout of Sh 3.5 million.
Amisi revealed that 26,000 applications for fee help were received by NG-CDF.
What education officials think about the issue
Charles Ong’ayo, the head of the Trans Nzoia branch of the Kenya Secondary Heads Association, charged that the government was stifling education by putting a financial burden on schools.
“Besides the delayed remittance of capitation, the government has reduced the allocation, and this is paralysing learning,” stated Ong’ayo.
He claimed that despite not sending money to schools, the government had led parents to believe that it was covering their children’s education fees.
“Parents are now impoverished as a result of the government’s assurances that education is free and the funds it has given to schools. Because of the government’s shortcomings, parents are not taking their obligations seriously,” he stated.
He claimed that although principals have had difficulty keeping schools running, the lack of funding has made matters dire.
“Principals have worked incredibly hard to keep schools running, but they are now unable to do so. Some schools have closed earlier than the recommended time,” said the official.
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