Residents of Eldoret and greater Uasin Gishu County are still reeling from the shocking revelations surrounding the Sh1.1 billion Finland and Canada Education Programme scandal. This ambitious overseas education initiative, once proudly backed by the county leadership, has now become a source of heartbreak and betrayal for many local families.
And at the center of the storm? Governor Jonathan Bii, who has now publicly disowned the troubled programme, despite once endorsing it.
The Broken Promise of an Overseas Education
The scandal surfaced in court this week as several affected students and parents testified before Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege in Nakuru.
One such student, Mitchelle Jeptanui, shared her harrowing journey. She had applied for a diploma course in marketing at Stenberg College in Canada. Between July 2022 and February 2023, she paid close to Sh1.1 million through the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust Fund, hoping to secure her place abroad.
Her payments included:
- Sh10,000 for registration
- Sh650,000 for tuition
- Sh122,000 for visa, medical, and insurance
- Sh300,000 for accommodation
“We finished our payments in February 2023 and waited, but nothing happened,” she told the court.
Governor Bii’s U-Turn
According to Jeptanui, a meeting with Governor Bii near Eldoret in June 2023 offered hope. At the time, the governor assured the affected families that their money was safe and the programme would continue.
However, only two months later, the governor distanced himself from the programme, leaving parents and students confused and abandoned.
This disavowal came as part of the ongoing investigation into the misappropriation of education funds. Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, along with officials Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei, are now facing criminal charges related to the scandal.
Public Outrage Grows Near Eldoret
The fallout from the education programme failure has hit Eldoret residents hard, especially those who had invested life savings to secure a better future for their children.
Key complaints from residents include:
- Lack of accountability from county leadership
- Delayed refunds and lack of communication
- Emotional and financial distress for students unable to study abroad
- A call for justice against those responsible
What This Means for Uasin Gishu Residents
For many locals, this scandal is more than just a political issue—it’s a personal tragedy. Families feel betrayed by leaders they trusted and are now demanding not only refunds but clear answers and justice.
Local advocacy groups near Eldoret Town Hall have begun mobilizing to push for greater transparency, while legal proceedings continue.
Final Thoughts: Eldoret Deserves Better
As the Uasin Gishu education programme scandal unfolds, one thing is clear—residents of Eldoret and beyond are watching closely. They want accountability, justice, and assurance that no future programme will be allowed to collapse in such fashion again.
This case is more than a court trial; it’s a moment of reckoning for public trust in Uasin Gishu’s leadership.
