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Chief clears Uasin Gishu orphans to beg for school fees
Needy students: Donald Ramey from (left) who is supposed to join Grade 7, Diana Akinyi who is supposed to join Rift Valley Technical Training Institute in Nakuru County, Joyce Adhiambo, who was supposed to join Kiriri University in 2023 but did not due to lack of funds, and Fidel James Otieno, who is supposed to join Grade 10 at Eldoret Kandie Secondary in Uasin Gishu County, accompanied by their guardian Esther Akoth Wasonga, during an interview at their deceased grandparents’ home at Sirikwa Kware in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on January 19, 2026.
What you need to know:
- Kiplombe area Chief William Koros issued a formal, stamped letter authorising the orphaned family to seek donations from members of the public to enable one of the children, Fidel Otieno, to join senior school.
- Chief Koros confirmed that the seven children have been fending for themselves since their parents died under unclear circumstances more than five years ago.
In a striking sign of desperation, a chief in Turbo, Uasin Gishu County, has officially sanctioned a family of seven orphans to beg for school fees so that one of them can take up a place in senior secondary school.
The siblings from the same family in Kiplombe village on the outskirts of Eldoret City have been forced out of school after failing to raise fees, laying bare the gap between the government’s education policy and the harsh reality faced by vulnerable families.
Among them is a 15-year-old boy who has yet to transition to senior secondary school despite posting strong academic results.
The family’s desperation has driven the local administration to take an unusual and telling step. Kiplombe area Chief William Koros issued a formal, stamped letter authorising the orphaned family to seek donations from members of the public to enable one of the children, Fidel Otieno, to join senior school.
“The above-named is an orphan from my area and is seeking school fees to secure admission at Kandie Senior Secondary School. Any help accorded to him to meet school fees will be appreciated,” reads the letter.
Chief Koros confirmed that the seven children have been fending for themselves since their parents died under unclear circumstances more than five years ago.
“These children have no one. They are disciplined and determined but they need help. I appeal to well-wishers to stand with them,” he said.
Otieno completed his Kenya Junior Secondary School Education Assessment (KJSEA) at Emkoin Junior Secondary School in Uasin Gishu County, scoring 46 points. He has since been admitted to Kandie Senior Secondary School under the STEM pathway.
However, his admission remains uncertain due to the family’s inability to raise the required Sh15,000 annual school fee, leaving his desk at the school empty.
The children’s guardian Esther Akoth survives on irregular casual jobs which barely sustain the large household. She says her efforts to seek assistance in Eldoret City have borne little fruit.
“I have been moving from one office to another without help coming forth. In some places, I am treated like an outcast,” Ms Akoth said.
She pointed out the contradiction between government policy and practice on the ground, noting that several day schools she approached declined to admit the boy without upfront payment, despite the government’s 100 per cent transition directive.
Her attempts to reach political leaders have also been unsuccessful. Ms Akoth claims she has been blocked from accessing the local Member of Parliament by intermediaries demanding money before offering assistance.
“Whenever I seek help from the MP’s office, I am blocked by cartels who even ask for money before listening to my problem,” she said.
The education crisis facing the family extends beyond Otieno. Other siblings—Lilian Atieno, Joyce Adhiambo, and Diana Akinyi—are also struggling to remain in school due to lack of fees.
Another sibling, Evelyne Anyango, is expected to join Maseno University to study Art and Design but has no clear means of funding her education.
The youngest children, Joseph Quincy and Faith Nyongesa, are currently enrolled in junior secondary school, relying on support from well-wishers. However, their future remains uncertain as the family continues to grapple with severe financial hardship.
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