By Habil Onyango
As students prepare for the reopening of the third term, About 1,200 needy learners from Kasipul Constituency on Friday benefitted from a Kshs 5 million bursary Dr from a Parliamentary aspirant Robert Money Bior Riaga.
He said fund will enable learners, especially the Form Fours preparing for their final Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams, to stay in school.
Speaking at Agoro Sare Primary School during the bursary disbursement, Bior emphasized that many children in Kasipul were unable to attend school due to lack of school fees.
“Through Money Bior’s Foundation, we have awarded Kshs 5 million to over 1,200 needy students from all corners of Kasipul Constituency,” he said.
“This will ensure that students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions can continue their education uninterrupted.” He said
Bior has expressed his interest in the upcoming Kasipul by-election scheduled for November 27, following the death of the former MP, Ong’ondo Were.
He will compete against other aspirants, including businessman Philip Aroko, Boyd Were (the son of the former MP), Daniel Okindo Majiwa, Samwel Owida, Robert Ouko, Newton Ogada, and Okeyo Collice, all of whom have shown interest in the seat.
However, Bior clarified that this initiative was not intended for political gain but rather as an investment in the future of the children of Kasipul.
He criticized the previous administration for its distribution of bursary funds and the infrastructural development of schools, claiming it was marred by discrimination and nepotism
Bior said the 2023/2024 Auditor General’s report,revealed serious misappropriations of public funds in the constituency.
He claimed that bursaries were awarded to a select few, with some students receiving double allocations while many needy students were left out.
He claimed National Government Constituency Development Fund Committee of awarding contracts to unqualified individuals and contractors.
According to the report by Auditor General Nancy Gathungu on bursary allocations for the 2023/2024 fiscal year, the NGCDF in Kasipul could not account for Ksh. 66,108,991.
The approving minutes did not indicate the range of serial numbers for the bursary forms that were approved.
Additionally, the applicants register and beneficiaries list did not specify the amounts requested by applicants.
Gathungu explained that the beneficiaries list included 1,559 transactions used to disburse bursaries totalling to Ksh. 15,705,900, which lacked supporting acknowledgement letters.
Furthermore, the reference numbers and acknowledgement dates were not included in the beneficiaries list.
Bior assured that his leadership would ensure transparency in bursary distribution, that every school receives fair attention, every teacher is motivated, and every child, regardless of their parents financial status, receives a proper education.
Mary Akumu,56, whose daughter is a form four student at St.Georges Secondary School thanked Bior for the support saying the girl will now have enough time to prepare for her final examination after her school fee balance was cleared.
“I just want to thank God for the support we have received from Mweshimiwa,my daughter.” she said.
George Onyango who is a form two student at Kalanding’ Secondary School who relied on well wishers for his education thanked Bior and urged him to continue with the initiative even in the future to help other needy students.
“I am happy, my third term school fees has been cleared and I just want to urge our leader to continue with the initiative and support other learners,” he said
According to Mary Anyango of Nyafare Mixed Secondary School who received a bursary allocation of Sh.7,000,the money will assist in clearing her school fees which has since compiled to Sh21,000 saying this is a relieve to her parents who does manual jobs to cater for her school fees and other four siblings.
Kennedy Atiang, the regional head of KEPSHA, who also attended the meeting, expressed support for Bior’s candidacy and his initiative to help needy learners.
He stated that teachers understand the pain of students being sent home for school fees, especially when they have lessons to deliver.
“Sometimes it impacts us even more than the learners themselves, which is why we take support for education seriously,” said Atiang.
