The number of students requiring bursary support in Saku Constituency has risen to 80 per cent as drought and climate change ravage the local communities’ livelihoods.
Area Member of Parliament Col. (Rtd.) Dido Rasso noted that persistent climate-change-induced droughts have over time destroyed the local pastoralist communities main source of livelihood, livestock rearing, despite their endeavour to diversify into crop farming and trade.
Col. Rasso said President Ruto’s government was committed to offering all children an equal opportunity to access education in the country, adding that every deserving case will get the necessary support to ensure that they pursue schooling without interruption.
The legislator also asked the NG-CDF committee to ensure that public funds allocated to the Constituency continue to be prudently used for the benefit of the constituents.
He warned rogue contractors that they had no space in Saku and urged residents to take a more active role in the implementation of development projects in order to ensure that they were done to the required standards and on time.
“I want you to help me in supervising the use of the resources allocated to us by the government so that we can accelerate development,” he said, and he cautioned the committee to make sure that service delivery to the residents was corrupt-free by ensuring that all projects reflected value for money.
The MP was speaking at Marsabit Moi Girls School during the launch for the disbursement of Sh55 million worth of bursaries to 4,813 students, which was presided over by the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on National Administration and Security, Gabriel Tongoyo.
The disbursement consisted of bursary sponsorship totaling Sh25 million for 3,000 secondary school students and Sh30 million for 1813 students enrolled in universities and colleges.
The NG-CDF bursary allocation for the constituency has been on an upward trend as the number of needy cases rose and more parents became unable to meet the schools’ fee demands for their children.
This year’s bursary kitty has been increased by Sh10 million, up from last year’s allocation of Sh45 million, which had also shot up by Sh9 million from the 2021/2022 financial year’s allocation of Sh36 million.
Mr. Tongoyo, who had earlier inspected eight classrooms at Marsabit Boys Secondary School which have been rehabilitated using CDF funds, underlined the important role played by NG-CDF in spurring growth in the country.
Mr. Tongoyo, who is the MP for Narok West, commended the residents of Marsabit for embracing peace and urged them to continue coexisting in harmony.
The chairperson of the parliamentary security committee said the government was keen on restoring security in all areas prone to banditry across the country, adding that it was the only way of creating an enabling environment for development and improving the lives of Kenyans.
“President Ruto’s administration is committed to harmonious coexistence among Kenyans, and I can tell you right here that security for all is the top priority of his government,” he said.
He advised Marsabit residents to jealously guard the earned peace and warned that those engaging in hostile activities will be firmly dealt with in accordance with the law.
By Sebastian Miriti
