Kindiki Explains New Plan for Issuing Bursaries After Controller of Budget Ban
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has stepped in to address the confusion over the issuance of bursaries following a directive from the Controller of Budget (CoB), Dr. Margaret Nyakang’o, which barred county governments from distributing them.
While speaking on Thursday, April 24, Kindiki emphasized that learners belong to both the national and county governments.
He stated that every leader, regardless of their position, should be allowed to give bursaries to support students across the country.
Kindiki made it clear that he intends to personally reach out to the Controller of Budget’s office to resolve the matter. According to him, the goal is to ensure that bursary disbursement continues without unnecessary obstacles.
“There’s no such thing as a child belonging only to the national government or only to the county. Children are children of this country, and they need support wherever they are,” Kindiki said. “Bursaries should come from anywhere—be it Parliament, county governors, or the Ministry of Education.
The issue raised by the Controller of Budget is small, and we will address it by working together to make sure bursary allocation becomes smoother and better organized.”
This comes three months after Dr. Nyakang’o sent a letter to all governors on January 14, reminding them of the legal boundaries between the roles of national and county governments in education. She cited the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution, which clearly outlines the responsibilities of each level of government.
According to her letter, the national government is solely responsible for funding education in primary and secondary schools, universities, and tertiary institutions. This includes the issuance of bursaries to students in these categories.
“Under Part 1 of the Fourth Schedule, Section 16, education at all levels from primary school to university, including special education and technical training, is the responsibility of the national government,” the letter stated.
However, Dr. Nyakang’o clarified that counties still have the authority to fund students in specific areas such as pre-primary education, village polytechnics, homecraft centres, and childcare facilities.
“Part 2 of the same Schedule under Section 9 assigns the responsibility of early childhood education, village polytechnics, and other basic skill development centres to the county governments,” the letter added.
This directive sparked a lot of criticism, especially from governors who argued that counties had already invested heavily in bursary programs meant to support students in their regions.
They said the move would disrupt existing systems that are already helping needy learners.
Just three days after the CoB’s letter, on January 17, the Council of Governors responded with a strong statement. They rejected the claims that counties had overstepped their constitutional boundaries by issuing bursaries.
In their letter to the Controller of Budget, they argued that bursaries should not be viewed as a responsibility belonging only to the national government.
“The claim that bursary allocation is solely a function of the national government is not supported by the Constitution,” the Council of Governors stated.
They maintained that counties had every right to continue supporting students through bursaries and that Dr. Nyakang’o’s directive was misguided and unconstitutional.
As it stands, the debate over bursary allocation remains unresolved, but Kindiki’s involvement may soon lead to a compromise that will allow both county and national governments to support education without conflict.
Join Our Political Forum official 2025 WhatsApp Channel To Stay Updated On time https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaWT5gSGufImU8R0DO30
