Businessman Bundotich Zedekiah Kiprop (BUZEKI) has hit out at the current and the former regime of the County Government of Uasin Gishu over the controversial Finland and Canada Scholarship program.
Buzeki who has twice unsuccessfully vied for the Uasin Gishu gubernatorial seat says the current issues the program is facing are a result of a ‘foolish decision’ that both Governor Jonathan Bii and former Governor Jackson Mandago made.
In a tweet on Friday, the Buzeki Group of Companies chairman said accepting funds in Kenya shillings from the parents of students going abroad was a grave mistake.
He noted that with the Finnish and Canadian institutions accepting fees in US dollars and Euros the county should have ensured parents make payments using those currencies and not Kenyan shillings.
But following the mistake made, the county now risks running at a loss, following the recent depreciation of the Kenya shillings against the Dollar and the Euro.
Exchange rate
The situation is likely to be worse with some of the funds having been deposited over two years ago when the exchange rate was substantially low.
“Under the leadership of the scandalous MANDAGO and subsequently inherited by KOTI MOJA, the county of UG made a FOOLISH DECISION to accept funds in KSH from parents planning to send their children for OVERSEAS studies UNFORTUNATELY the COUNTY got stuck with the money for over one year,’ Buzeki said in part of the tweet.
“Regrettably, the universities require payments in USD/EURO, and with the deprecation of KSH, a substantial loss due to the exchange rate is now INEVITABLE with the USD at 142 and EURO 156. Kweli Jogoo wa mashambani hawiki MJINI,” he added.
Under the leadership of the scandalous MANDAGO and subsequently inherited by KOTI MOJA, the county of UG made a FOOLISH DECISION to accept funds in KSH from parents planning to send their children for OVERSEAS studies UNFORTUNATELY the COUNTY got stuck with the money for over…
— Buzeki Kiprop Bundotich-OGW (@BuzekiKiprop) August 4, 2023
The Uasin Gishu County Overseas Program has been facing controversies as some parents are demanding a refund of their money.
Early this week, a section of the parents staged a protest in Eldoret town streets to push for a refund.
The County has since started engaging affected parents as it seeks to work out the best ways to solve the challenge.
Further, Deputy Governor Eng John Barorot last weekend said some parents had been refunded their money.
Parents paid between Ksh1.5 million and Ksh3 million for their children to fly to Canada and Finland for further studies under a deal sealed by the County Government of Uasin Gishu.
