A milk feeding programme rolled out by Kisii Governor Simba Arati for Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) learners has come under sharp criticism from top lawyer Enock Ongiti and Masimba MCA Bouse Mairura.
They raised concerns over its legality, cost, and sustainability.
Ongiti especially questioned whether the programme was properly budgeted for and anchored in county policy, warning that it could amount to political grandstanding financed by public funds.
“On the surface, the programme sounds noble,” Ongiti said.
“But when you interrogate it, serious irregularities emerge. Was it provided for in the county budget? Is there a policy paper supporting it? Who is supplying the milk, and when was the tender advertised?”
He further raised questions over the branding of the milk under the name ‘Etaya’, arguing that the branding itself suggests commercial interests that have not been adequately explained to the public.
In particular ,he took issue with the logistics of the programme, noting reports that up to 700 boda boda riders have been mobilised to distribute milk at a daily rate of Sh1,000 each.
“With deliveries happening three times a week, that translates to approximately Sh2.1 million every week, or Sh8.4 million per month, purely on transport,” he said.
“That figure does not even account for the cost of the milk itself.”
Such expenditure, he said, raises serious red flags about value for money and fiscal responsibility.
“It may look impressive politically, but it is fundamentally flawed. This is not development—it is politics funded by the public purse.”
The lawyer warned that the programme, as currently structured, could be in violation of the Constitution, the County Governments Act and public procurement laws.
“With Sh700,000 being spent daily, the county could instead be investing in permanent solutions such as modern classrooms and learning facilities,” Ongiti argued.
“What we are seeing is money being spent without long-term impact. It is spinning wheels while public funds are flushed down the drain.”
He cautioned that such leadership decisions, if left unchecked, could have long-term consequences for residents.
He said public officials must be held to higher standards of accountability and planning.
Masimba MCA Bouse Mairura on his part faulted Governor Arati saying he was prioritising publicity-driven programmes over the most basic requirement for learning: a safe and conducive environment.
He said thousands of ECDE children continue to learn in overcrowded, dilapidated classrooms, some without adequate furniture, sanitation, or teaching materials.
Mairura also sharply criticised the governor’s recently stated plan to construct one modern ECDE centre per ward, calling it unrealistic and detached from on-the-ground realities.
In wards such as Masimba, where over 20 primary schools exist, he questioned how a single ECDE centre could possibly serve the needs of all learners.
“This is not just poor planning; it is sheer incompetence,” Mairura said, adding that the proposal reflects a troubling lack of understanding of the county’s education demands.
Kisii County, he warned risks entrenching inequality and mediocrity if cosmetic projects continue to replace substantive investment in infrastructure.
“The county deserves leadership that prioritises long-term solutions over political optics,” he stated.
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