Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago asked distraught students and angry parents to give him time for the Finland scholarship program he started to refund their monies.
He asked this of the parents during a meeting in which Uasin Gishu’s Governor Jonathan Bii and Deputy Governor Eng. John Barorot was also present.
“We are now where we are and I agree with you that you need a refund. I am asking you- because you are demanding we refund the money right now- the truth is that there is no money. It is okay, we will explain where we can. You have heard that the money is part of the money that was paid for the students already in the program but that is not your problem. Let us agree, allow us to see how we are going to deal with those parents, what we are going to do but the bottom line is that you must be refunded your money. That one is not in doubt,” said Senator Mandago.
The Finland scholarship ‘scam’ saw the monies paid by parents for the children to enroll in the program being used to pay for students already in the program to sit for their next semesters.
Parents demanded to know where the money went and demanded immediate refunds because their children never traveled abroad as intended.
“There is no way I would have started this program if I knew this is how it would turn out. I started it because I had the belief that this program is going to transform lives. The lady who spoke earlier was my officer in the County. She had worked for more than 25 years and we were doing it in god faith in the hope that the success of this project will bear good fruits at home,” added Senator Mandago.
He started the program while he was the Governor of Uasin Gishu.
“To cut a long story short and all the other politicking around this issue, you are the parents who paid the money, but the children did not travel abroad, and you want a refund. That is the position we have discussed. You and those already paid for have no meeting point because you were not there. The decisions that were made, there is nothing the Governor and I can do. Allow us to explain because the officers already decided that we have a responsibility as the leadership to sit with you no matter how hard it is.
You may think we are not suffering. We are also suffering. Let me explain to you that we are in this process together. You might not agree with us, but let us tell you what we know. I have my niece here. She was in her third year doing Engineering. She is part of this group (those who met with the County leaders). She is called Sheila. We removed her from the university because we were confident she would go abroad too,” Senator Mandago told an angry audience.
His statements came after an angry parent went for the jugular of the County leaders, demanding to know what they were doing about the scam.
“First of all, you have come late yet you instructed us along with our parents that the meeting would commence at 9 am. At what time did you arrive? Probably you do not expect me to pose such a question. These are the individuals who elected you to serve them. I may seem very foolish in front of you considering I am very young. Guga (Grandfather) has not eaten anything since early morning. We have brought our parents, yet some are very sick – some with high blood pressure, diabetes, and even depression,” began Mercy Tarus.
She went on by turning to a leader named Mr Chelil, “I went to school with three of your kids. I want to ask you one question. Do you know the medicine for depression? Do you know any anti-depressant? You don’t. I studied with Beryl, (his daughter) she is in the UK right now as we speak. The others are in the UK and Canada. Your children are abroad, and you told our parents, aren’t these children ours too? Aren’t they all ours? Where is Barorot’s child here? Where are Mandago’s children?
Now that you have decided to personalize things. Mr Barorot, do you know about blood pressure medicine? Do you know any anti-depressants off the top of your mind? Any? No! Mr. Mandago, any anti-depressants? No! Very well. There are students here on anti-depressants. For the sake of information, I urge you to go and Google what medication is used for depression. Some of us are on anti-depressants. I graduated from Kabarak University in 2021. Your daughter graduated from Riara University, and they are now abroad,” said the young woman as she took on the County leaders.
Taking a firm tone, she addressed the deputy Governor, accusing him of being deceitful and consistently dishonest whenever he interacts with students and parents.
