Nyamira County is on the spot over the misuse of bursary funds meant to cushion needy students as Sh126 million is untraceable.
Speaking yesterday during the launch of the 2021 bursary fund, Nyamira governor Governor Amos Nyaribo revealed that there were hundreds of absentee learners who have been benefiting from the project.
For instance, he intimated that approximately 369 learners could not be traced in one Ward alone despite County officials awarding them bursaries.
Governor Nyaribo called on the relevant stakeholders to investigate the matter while working closely with the county security teams to unmask those responsible for the misappropriation.
Read: New Nyamira Governor Nyaribo Nominates Ex-West Mugirango MP James Gesami As Deputy
He further emphasized the need to put stiffer measures and change the legislation to ensure the funds are well accounted for and ideally serve its purpose of cushioning needy students.
Incidents of misappropriation of the bursary funds have been on the rise with MPs and MCAs on the spot.
In an incident in 2018, a Member of Parliament was in the spotlight for apparently handing his undeserving clandestine lover a Sh91,000 bursary check.
Kitui Rural legislator, David Mwalika wrote a Kenya Water Institute (KEWI) student the enormous check of Sh91,000 while other needy students got Sh5,000 only.
Read Also: MP Accused Of Awarding Lover Sh.91,000 Bursary Cheque
The student in question, Ziyad Hassan received the check (No.4732) on May 31, 2018, signed by Salim Hussein, the fund account manager.
But the MP denied the allegations and vowed to probe the fraudulent awarding of money.
“That person was not on the list of beneficiaries. Someone deliberately wrote the cheque for unknown reasons,” the MP told a local daily.
It was later revealed that Ms Hassan was not a KEWI student and neither was she a Kitui Rural resident.
Read Also: DCI Probes Bomachoge Borabu CDF Officers For Attacking Student Seeking Bursary Funds (Video)
In yet another incident in 2019, Bomachoge Borabu CDF Officers were caught on tape attacking a student who had gone to seek bursary funds.
The unnamed student was attacked for opposing the area MP Prof Zadoc Abel Ogutu during the last elections.
These incidents introduced the debate on the criteria used to award bursary funds as well as its efficacy.
The bursary funds were meant to help needy students advance their education but legislators have used them to satisfy their various needs.
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