Teso North Member of Parliament Oku Kaunya has launched a constituency-wide bursary application exercise targeting more than 8,000 needy learners as schools reopen for the 2026 academic year.
The exercise is being implemented by the Teso North National Government Constituency Development Fund and will run from January 5 to January 10, 2026.
It will take place across Angurai East, Angurai North, Angurai South, Malaba North, Malaba Central, and Malaba South wards.
Speaking on Monday while inspecting the ongoing application process at the ACK Church compound in Chemasiri, Kaunya, who is the patron of the NG CDF, said each successful applicant will receive Sh5,000 to help cushion families against rising education costs.
He noted that the programme is designed to ensure learners from humble backgrounds are not forced to drop out of school due to lack of fees.
Beyond the general bursary allocation, the MP announced that the constituency will fully sponsor 30 students pursuing law, medicine, and engineering in various universities across the country.
He added that more than 400 students studying at the Kenya Medical Training College campus in Teso North will also benefit from NG CDF support.
Kaunya further said the fund will cater for 36 top achievers who scored 400 marks and above in the 2022 and 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examinations as part of a strategy to nurture academic excellence.
Additional beneficiaries include over 300 trainees at the Kenya Institute of Highways and Building Technology, about 1,000 students enrolled at Chemasiri Technical Training Institute, and learners in other tertiary institutions and universities.
The MP emphasised that he is committed to utilising the maximum 40 per cent allocation for bursaries as provided for under the amended NG CDF Act.
He urged parents and guardians to complement the bursary by paying the remaining balances to ensure uninterrupted learning.
Kaunya described NG CDF as a transformative tool when properly managed, saying prudent use of public funds leads to tangible development and improved livelihoods within communities.
By Moses Wekesa
