Uasin Gishu scholarship scam: Blame games continue as Mandago hits back at Governor Bii

The controversial multi-million shilling Uasin Gishu scholarship programme that has drawn a probe has reduced to blame games between Governor Jonathan Bii and his predecessor and current Senator Jackson Mandago.

On Tuesday, Governor Bii distanced himself from blame while calling for Senator Mandago to come out clean in the scandal in which millions of students' money was allegedly misappropriated.

In his response, Mandago who addressed journalists at his Eldoret office on Friday, refuted allegations levelled against him while asking Governor Bii to take responsibility as the leader of the county.

Mandago said that when he left office after last year's election, he handed over all the duties and performance of the county and entrusted it to his successor Bii,

“When I handed over on August 25 last year, I expected the Governor to provide leadership and if there are any issues or challenges, he calls me to the table as the former Governor and initiator of the program,” said Mandago

“I am responsible for all my errors of commission and omission. I cannot run away from a program I initiated,” he stated, adding that he is ready to sit down with the Governor and affected parents in bringing a solution to the myriad of challenges facing the program.

Mandago claimed that Bii has downplayed the issue and blamed him instead of calling him to discuss the future of the program which he termed as noble and meant to support and empower the youth.

“But when the Governor goes to the press and says that everyone should carry his own cross, I agree with him and I will do so to the extent that I exited office on August 25, 2022 and handed it over to him,” said Mandago.

The Senator said that he had chosen to remain silent when the parents began complaining about the program which was supposed to help students study and work in Finland and Canada because he wanted the law to take its course given that there was a petition pending at the County Assembly followed by investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

“People have asked why the Senator is silent. I chose silence because I did not want it to seem that I am interfering or that I am trying to cover up,” said Mandago.

He faulted Governor Bii and his deputy John Barorot for failing to address demonstrating parents who had invaded their meeting on Monday last week saying that the leaders should have instead invited the agitated parents and listened to their grievances.

“As a responsible leader, we cannot have parents demonstrating and then the Governor runs away and the deputy sneaks through the fence. If it were me I would have listened and charted a way forward,” he stated.

Mandago stated that when he left office, the overseas account had a total of Ksh.104.7 million; from this, the bank had Ksh.37.5 million while the students locked account had Ksh.67.2 million.

He then questioned how the account is now said to have only Ksh.1.8 million and a deficit of Ksh.138 million as stated by Bii and Barorot to the press on Tuesday.

Mandago said that he is ready to record statements with officers from the EACC and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and cooperate on any required information or documentation.

During the Tuesday presser, Bii had asked Mandago to carry his own cross stating that the program was initiated during his tenure and that he would not take blame for a programme he knows little about.

"Let it be known that I did not pioneer this program. I found it moving. However, I have a mandate to answer to what I Know because I am the current leader," said Bii them.

"The previous administration also needs to come out clean and tell us what they know. I have no answers to give. Leave me alone and let the Senator who came up with this program come and give answers. I will not carry someone else’s cross."

Bii said that he was pained with the state of the parents and students who have sold their assets, paid their fees and are still stranded in the country.

He said that he had involved the EACC to conduct thorough forensic investigations into the overseas trust account in order to unearth the truth onto the matter that left more than 200 Kenyan students in Finland stranded and more than 100 who were set to leave for Finland and Canada still in the country more than a year after paying their fees.

The county boss claimed that the program was privately sponsored and that the funds paid by the parents were deposited in the Uasin Gishu County Government Overseas Trust Fund operated by trustees including county officials and parents.

Bii claimed that the trust was run independently and the county had nothing to do with it, with Barorot adding that the bank account only had Ksh.1.8 million at the time of the presser.

He said that a deficit of Ksh.138 million had been accrued with Ksh.87 million from the amount being owed by the parents whose children are studying in Finland.

“Although Tampere University decided to end its cooperation with the county and disassociate with the trust, the parents owe the trust Ksh.33 million, which forms the bulk of the deficit,” Barorot said.

He added that a further Ksh.32 million which could not be accounted for was subject of the EACC investigations.

Barorot added that the majority of the students destined to study in Canada are still in the country due to Visa delays.

Bii stated that owing to the challenges that have faced the program, his administration has stopped the program until the pending issues are resolved.

The blame games come even as detectives from the DCI on Friday initiated an inquiry into allegations of fraudulent activities pertaining to the county’s scholarship programme.

"Sleuths from DCI Headquarters are expected in Uasin Gishu County between July 18-21, for a comprehensive probe," the State investigative agency said in a statement.

"All aggrieved victims are requested to present themselves at the DCI County Headquarters in Eldoret, on July 18 for statement recording and other investigative procedures in order to bring the suspects to book."