A section of Members of Parliament from the Western region have urged the National Treasury to release money meant for the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) within 48 hours.
Release of the money, the MPs said, will enable needy students to receive bursaries before going back to school next week.
Addressing the press after opening the Wekhonye Bridge that connects the Hilario and Nabiswa areas in Kiminini Constituency, Trans Nzoia County, the area MP Kakai Bisau said many needy students may not go back to school if the government delays releasing the funds.
“The situation on the ground is very tough. MPs are under a lot of pressure from the electorates who need bursaries and have been coming to our homes very early in the morning looking for assistance but there is nothing we can do because we have no money in our accounts,” Bisau said.
The vocal lawmaker called on President William Ruto to intervene and prioritize the educational needs of Kenyan students.
“I humbly ask our President and National treasury CS Prof. Ndung’u please, release this money between 24 and 48 hours so that our students can go back in good time and continue with their studies,” he appealed.
Fate of needy students at stake
On his part, Luanda MP Dick Maungu said the government should release the money without any further delay because the fate of many students lies on NG-CDF bursaries.
“Just like Kiminini which has not released bursaries, I also have not released because there is nothing to release and needy students whom we have been sponsoring urgently need this money like yesterday,” Maungu stated.
Further, the legislator said the Treasury should fulfil the promise it made to them before breaking for recess in December 2023.
“Before we came for recess, we had been promised this money and the government should expedite the release of the money,” he added.
On December 5, 2023, Members of the National Assembly stormed out of parliament demanding the release of CDF funds.
Primary and Secondary schools are set to open on January 8, 2024, for the new education calendar.
