Kirinyaga Woman Representative Njeri Maina has raised concerns over Kapseret MP Oscar Sudi’s recent Ksh145 million donations, questioning the spending priorities of government leaders amid the ongoing crisis in the country.
Her statement follows a recent donation by the MP, who spent Ksh145 million on items including motorcycles, vehicles, sewing machines, car wash machines, maize milling posho mills, milk cans, water tanks, and vending kits.
Sudi issued the donations on Friday during an empowerment forum in Uasin Gishu County. He gave out goods worth Ksh45 million for a grassroots empowerment drive, alongside a record Ksh100 million fundraiser for local development.
He also gave out 100 motorcycles, two vehicles, 400 sewing machines, 500 car wash machines, and maize milling posho mills, among other items.
The MP was quick to defend the donations, clarifying that the money did not come from either the county government or the national government, but from him and his friends.
However, Woman Representative Maina has not taken the donations lightly. The leader questioned how ironic it was for leaders to spend such huge amounts on donations while government entities like education were drowning in a financial crisis.
"Ksh145 million donations but free education is where we draw the line," Maina pointed out.
"Kshs. 145M donations but investing in local manufacturing to create job employment opportunities for our young people is where we draw the line," the Woman Representative questioned further.
On Friday, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba elicited a heated debate in the country after signalling a possible end to the free primary education that Kenyan children have been enjoying.
Speaking before the National Assembly Education Committee, Ogamba told the MPs that only half of the money allocated to public schools has been released this financial year, sparking fears about the future of free education in the country.
“I didn’t come with that figure. The figure raised by MP Robert Mbui of Sh64 billion could be correct. The question we are grappling with is: What do we do with it? Yet we’re still not getting what we budgeted for,” Ogamba said.
Leaders from the Kenya Kwanza government, including President William Ruto, have been on the frontline donating large sums of money, prompting Kenyans to question the source of the funds.
