Marsabit Governor Ali Mohamud's share of Ksh85 million among 895 needy students has elicited debate among Kenyans and leaders alike.
The post instantly became political as a section of Mt Kenya leaders allied to President Uhuru Kenyatta used it to reopen the One Man One Shilling campaign.
Nyeri Town MP reposted the bursary fete by Marsabit County insinuating the county government had the advantage of a relatively smaller population sharing a big amount of money.
He explained that the maths showed that each successful applicant walked away with a huge sum of over Ksh94,000 - complaining that many bursary recipients in the Mt Kenya region get less than Ksh3,000 per year.
Deputy President William Ruto's associate, Dennis Itumbi, differed with Ngunjiri - accusing him of politicising an innovative idea by the Marsabit County Government.
Itumbi argued that the governor's strategy to create an Education Fund was a carefully developed blueprint to benefit its people.
"Marsabit was busy bringing its top Civil servants, richest private sector players, its political class and County Government to deliver a dream.
"The law allowed them to open an external account and with that they raised Ksh10 million to start with. A criteria was also developed and devolved to the ward," stated Itumbi.
Ngunjiri was also accused of using the issue to propagate the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) instead of seeking to improve the Central Region where some students have received a paltry of Ksh 3,000 as bursaries.
"This is not CDF (Constituency Development Fund). Marsabit County was the first to pass a law to establish a scholarship fund. They shelved infrastructure and set aside money for children, while Wambugu and others were singing BBI," added Bor Chomu.
In the event that took place on Thursday, July 29, Governor Mohammud indicated his hope that the 595 beneficiaries would transform the county and the entire country with the education.
"Today, I presided over the disbursement of scholarship cheques worth Ksh 85 million to 895 scholars who include all the 595 beneficiaries from the past two years & this year’s 300 successful applicants.
"It is only through education that the daughter of a rural livestock herder can become a Veterinary Doctor, that the son of a hospital sweeper can become the Medical Superintendent of the hospital, that a child of Mama Mboga and a Boda Boda rider can become an Engineer," explained Mohammud.
Several students expected to join Form 1 in August had missed out from several scholarship and bursary funds across the country.
