Kwale County Governor, Fatuma Achani, has flagged off the disbursement of Sh60 million bursary to benefit 1,000 secondary school students across the coastal county.
This comes after the Controller of Budget (CoB), Margaret Nyakang’o, suspended bursary disbursements for over a year, instructing counties to stop issuing bursaries for primary, secondary, and tertiary students.
Governor Achani decried that the CoBs move has left many poor students at home due to lack of school fees.
The ban on county bursaries was initially imposed in January 2025 by the Controller of Budget, but was later eased after an agreement with the Council of Governors.
This eased arrangement was subsequently suspended by a court order in February 2025, creating an ongoing legal battle where governors are pushing for a temporary reprieve to cushion needy students from the impact of the freeze.
The Controller of Budget’s office oversees the expenditure of public funds and has instructed the 47 county governments to halt funding for bursaries related to national government functions like secondary and tertiary education, citing constitutional responsibility.
CoB Nyakang’o says the county’s position requires formal Intergovernmental Transfer Agreements before counties can fund these programs, leading to stalled disbursements and legal challenges from counties and petitioners seeking clarity on the legal process.
The Controller of Budget prohibits county governments from directly offering primary and secondary school bursaries because it is a national government function, not a county one.
In January, Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o clarified that counties could only continue offering bursaries if they established independent bursary funds or entered into Intergovernmental Participation Agreements with the Ministry of Education.
Although the suspension remains in effect, Governor Achani continues to push for the release of funds, having submitted requisitions to the Controller of Budget to allow disbursements so that students can return to school.
Before the suspension, the Sh500 million ‘Elimu Ni Sasa’ initiative, which began over ten years ago, had benefited more than 16,000 secondary school students and over 6,000 students in colleges and universities.
She said the Kwale County government, through the “Elimu Ni Sasa” program, has increased its annual bursary fund from Sh400 million to Sh500 million in 2024 to support needy students in secondary schools, universities, and colleges.
This bursary scheme, launched in 2013, aims to make education accessible and has sponsored over 30,000 students since its inception.
Speaking at the event Achani reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to prioritizing education as the bedrock of human resource development and societal transformation.
Achani who was accompanied by the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education Mishi Salim Mwakaole said the increase in funds is intended to address the growing number of students requiring financial assistance.
Speaking during the official launch at the Kwale County Headquarters, Achani urged the CoB to allow counties to continue issuing bursaries so that underprivileged children can benefit from education.
“Our children have already lost valuable learning time. I appeal to the COB to fast-track the release of funds so that no child is denied the right to education,” said Achani, adding that education is key without which there can be no transformation and progress.
Her sentiments were echoed by a parent, Mwanasiti Mwamamzaka, who called on President William Ruto to intervene and ensure counties receive adequate funding to support school-going children.
“Our school-going children, especially girls, are at risk of getting pregnant because they are stuck at home due to lack of school fees,” lamented the parent.
Mwamamzaka further lauded the governor for the bursary disbursement noting that the cash transfers for the needy students would help support school retention and completion rates.
Kwale County Assembly Minority Leader and Tiwi ward MCA Juma Mwachivyomo thanked the county government for reviving the bursary program.
He also urged the COB to ensure timely cash disbursements to counties to help keep children from poor backgrounds in school.
The MCA commended the county government for its sustained support for students through bursary schemes and praised Governor Achani for what he described as her unwavering commitment to education and student welfare.
By Hussein Abdullahi and Rachael Ndioki
