Most if not all counties through the County Bursary Funds have allocated bursary money to each ward. This money is usually at the control of the ward MCA. The area MCA, being the typical politician divides the money allocated against all the applicants not mindful of the needy and deserving cases. At the end of it, applicants receive some kshs. 2500. In some cases, the MCA can give more money or ensure it is his supporters who receive the bursaries.
The area MP does not want to be left behind in this game of playing politics with the poor. He too allocates money from his CDF kitty and as usual, each applicant must get something.
The Women Representative, now the County MP, also allocates bursary from her kitty, the National Government Affirmative Action Fund, NGAAF. Being ambitious also and for the sake of 2022, she also must play politics. With a complete administrative structure parallel to the County structure, she rolls out her bursary program across the whole county. As the rest, she will give all the applicants some money for bursary, irrespective of the amount.
In some counties, some governors run their own bursaries.
Not forgeting, the Ministry of Education too issues bursaries across the Country.
This is the typical scenario in most if not all the Counties. Every elected leader is out playing politics with the education of poor Kenyans. Had all this leaders put all these moneys in one kitty, then had a vetting commitee to ensure only needy and deserving cases are rewarded, the impact on the life of poor families would have been great.
Now imagine receiving kshs. 3000 bursary and you in some polytechnic or TTC. Or receiving some 1500 from the MCA, then 3000 from CDF and nothing from the Women Rep. Ridiculous.
Who really bewitched us? Must we see politics in everything? Why can’t our leaders even learn from how banks do it? A poor student who receives a scholarship from Equity Bank has his future brightened. It is bursary that is meaningful. Neither will you find one getting partial funding from 2 banks. Commercial entities are more reasonable in adding value to our lives than the people we voted for after withstanding long queues.
Why can’t we just consolidate these funds at some level,either ward or constituency, and offer some meaningful amount?
No we can’t. It’s about 2022. We must look for votes even if it means suffocating the voters till then. We need not play politics with the education of our people.
It must be about the electorate not the elected. Long live Devolution.
We shall overcome, some day.
