Lusaka assures Bungoma parents on 'Wangamati' scholarship programme
Ken Lusaka, the former Senate Speaker campaigning in Bumula constituency, Bungoma county on July 7, 2022- a month to the August 9 General Election.
Bungoma Governor-elect Kenneth Lusaka has told parents whose children benefited from the county government education support programme not to worry as it would not be interrupted by his administration.
Speaking in Kamukuywa ward, Kimilili constituency, the former Senate Speaker and incoming Bungoma governor told parents and guardians across the county's nine constituencies that his administration will settle the school fees under the programme that was popularly known as the Wangamati scholarship.
“I am aware that a number of children have been sent home after the outgoing administration failed to clear their fees arrears. I will move with speed and make sure fees is paid once I settle in office,” said Mr Lusaka, who will be sworn in on Thursday.
He also pleaded with school principals to persevere and not send students home as his government plans to settle the fees promptly.
“Once I am sworn in this week, I will come up with a plan to settle the fees so that children who are beneficiaries of the scholarship are not sent home,” he said.
He added: “Principals should be patient because it is a transition period and once I settle in office, I will have modalities to settle the fee arrears.”
Scheme review
During his campaigns, Mr Lusaka stated that he would review the county education support scheme.
“I will review it so that not only bright students benefit from the scheme. Let also those students who get 150 marks in KCPE get the bursary or the scholarship, they are all our children,” he said.
During the reign of outgoing Governor Wycliffe Wangamati, over 10,000 students benefited from the scheme, which started in 2018. The first cohort of 500 students sat their KCSE exams last year.
Rumours that Mr Lusaka's administration would not settle the scholarship fees have been doing the rounds on social media, though Mr Lusaka has not been sworn in after a landslide win in the August 9 polls.
Campaign pledges
Mr Lusaka promised to implement all projects he pledged during his campaigns and asked residents to be patient as he works on forming his government.
He said a tax holiday, good roads, education and water will be priorities for his government.
“I will fulfill all my promises; I want to make Bungoma County a good place again. I want to make sure that businesses thrive again so that people have money in their pockets,” he said.
Mr Lusaka received 244,000 votes against Mr Wangamati's 137,000.
