Parents demand refund from County

Uasin Gishu

Tuesday August 1, 2023

KNA by Ekuwam Sylvester

Parents of students who were to go for studies in Finland under the overseas airlift academic programme have taken to the streets demanding a refund of their money from Uasin Gishu County Government, citing suspected misappropriation by the parties involved.

The infuriated parents carried a peaceful demonstration to the County Commissioner’s office to seek help over their plea.

They decried the delay by the parties involved which has taken almost a year, since they paid fees for the said programme, yet the students have not gotten admission letters.

They claim the issue had derailed their children’s dreams for the future, hence the demand a full refund to enable them to seek alternative ways to enable their children go for further education.

The parents refuted claims by the county leadership that they reimbursed Sh68,149,290.00 to 121 parents, noting that the repayment is not clear and that none of them have been paid.

They demanded that the parties involved in the Finland and Canada academic airlift programme publish names of the parents, whose monies they claim to have repaid.

Led by Julius Rono, a resident of Ziwa in Uasin Gishu, the parents who expressed discontentment over the overseas airlift programme said many of them have been subjected to depression due to the situation, calling upon concerned authorities to move in with speed to arrest the matter to enable them to get back their money.

“I sold five acres of land to pay Sh 4.2 million for my three children, but none of them has gotten admission to the overseas universities; what do you expect us to do, you are our leaders whom we elected why do this to us, high blood pressure is killing us because of this issue,” said Rono.

Noah Kosgei, one of the parents who paid Sh 1,177,000 for his child to study overseas, called on the concerned county leaders to show evidence in terms of statements, indicating who exactly was paid, adding that the claim by the concerned parties to refund parents is not justifiable.

“We want our money to be reimbursed in full, they have to show us who and where they repaid,” he exclaimed.

The parents threatened to stop the incoming devolution conference from taking place if the county government fails to refund them citing a lack of transparency and honesty in the overseas academic programme.

On her part, Janeth Jerotich, a graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from a Kenyan University expressed her dissatisfaction after she paid Sh 852,000 to undertake a master’s degree in the overseas programme, but has never gotten admission since March 2022.

Jerotich said the situation has subjected her to mental depression terming it as a killer of her future dream of becoming a researcher.

She demands the money back to enable her seek alternatives to further her studies.

Addressing the scores of parents and students who sought help from his office, Uasin Gishu County Commissioner Dr. Eddyson Nyale assured them of his support to get help.

He said he will give the parents feedback after a meeting by the county over the matter slated for Thursday this week.

“We will be there on Thursday with the members of the National Security and Intelligence committee; in a meeting by the county government over the issue, I will give the parents a report after discussions in the meeting,” said Nyale.

He urged the parents to embrace peace as responsible agencies of the government investigate the matter.

Courtesy ; K. N. A