Finland saga: Uasin Gishu parents stage more protests over botched programme
Parents and their children who are affected by the Finland and Canada students airlift programme through Uasin Gishu County government, during a demonstration in Eldoret town, demanding a refund of their money.
Uasin Gishu parents poured on Eldoret streets to stage yet another round of protests on Wednesday to demand a refund following the botched Finland and Canada study programmes.
Together with the affected students, the protestors commenced their demonstrations at the Uasin Gishu County Commissioner’s office before marching peacefully on the streets, with police in anti-riot gear in toe.
The protestors efforts to meet the county commissioner Dr Edison Nyale to present their petition were unsuccessful after they found his office locked.
Waving ‘refund our money’ and ‘no refund no devolution’ placards, they took their protests to the Ethics Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) regional office. They maintained their threat to scuttle next week’s Devolution Conference if they will not have received their refund, promising to stage more protests.
They presented their petition to the EACC regional deputy director Charles Rasugu who said the matter is actively under probe.
In the petition, the parents asked EACC to expedite the investigation and gag county officers who have been adversely mentioned in the airlift saga.
Ms Mercy Tarus, one of the affected students called out the investigating agency for taking too long to conclude the probe and yet their lives are stuck.
“The EACC have been telling us the matter is under review for the past six months. They are silent yet we are suffering and those who took our money are bragging on the streets there is nothing we can do to them. We are tired and we need our money back,” she protested.
“Why is EACC and other investigating agencies slow or cautious when it comes to county affairs? Justice delayed is justice denied. We need swift conclusion into the matter.”
Another affected student Janeth Koech said they have been denied their education right after county officials allegedly embezzled their school fees.
“We need action. EACC should not go to bed with those who have oppressed the poor and embezzled their money.The elected leaders have robbed us and must be held to account and forced to return our money and EACC must act fast,” she said.
Human rights activist Kimutai Kirui who accompanied the protestors said many unregistered recruitment agencies working closely with security and unscrupulous government agencies were comfortably domiciled in Uasin Gishu.
“The agencies are using police, county enforcement officers and organised gangs to stay put and they should be weeded out. If a county government can unashamedly dupe parents off their hard earned money, what about taxes? he posed.
He accused EACC for taking long to investigate the matter, claiming they might have been compromised to go slow on the problem.
The activist asked the EACC to reign on those adversely mentioned in the embezzlement of funds under the controversial program and are still serving in office.
The EACC deputy director said the investigations are thorough and at an advanced stage and had been prioritized.
“We have a team that has been dedicated on to the probe and we are finalising it in a few week’s time before forwarding the file to the Office of the Director of Public of Prosecutions. The agency has raided houses of those who have been mentioned and numerous people have recorded statements. Action will be seen soon,” said Mr Rasugu.
