Leaders cautioned against using bursary allocation for political mileage

Revenue Allocation Commission in conjunction with the Treasury slashed significant amount of money from various vote heads leaving Counties financially starved.
Kirinyaga Deputy Governor Peter Ndambiri said his county had Sh 600 million slashed from its allocation, forcing the county to scale down funding for various projects.
Ndambiri said the Bursary allocation for the county was Sh 70 million but was reduced to Sh 40 million and told the area MCAs to acquaint themselves with this development.
Last week, MCAs claimed the county government had diverted the funds meant to cater for the bursary.
Ndambiri told the MCAs there are proper structures and guidelines set aside to govern the way the fund is disbursed to the deserving children.
“Bursary fund is meant to benefit bright but needy children in the society though we have seen in the past children whose parents are of means being allocated money from this Fund which is not only illegal but immoral, “he said.
Speaking at the Full Gospel Churches of Kenya, near Kerugoya town after a Sunday service, Ndambiri urged the MCAs to stop politicizing the Fund since the amount available was only for a few students.
“Am aware of some Wards with over 2000 applicants but can the Sh 40 million meant for this purpose be enough for all the children in the 20 local Wards ?’’ he posed.
Accompanied by the Bishop Joshua Kiongo, the Head of the church asked parents to ignore the sentiments the MCAs were expressing over the Fund since they were only trying to make a political capital out of the situation.
Ndambiri also ruled out speculations that the County Assembly had fallen out of favour with the area County Government insisting the development was just part of the existing democratic space for anyone to express himself or herself.
By Irungu Mwangi