Detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Eldoret on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, started recording statements from parents of students that were to travel to Finland for the controversial Uasin Gishu County Overseas Program.
The statement recording is part of the ongoing probe into the Finland program.
Some of the parents who have since recorded the statement told Uasin Gishu News that among the documents they have presented to the DCI to assist in their probe are bank slips for payments paid and acceptance letters that their children were issued.
“We have issued banking slips which confirm that we paid money to the county government as well as acceptance letters to show that our children were to go to Finland but they never did,” said one of the parents.
The DCI is expected to finalize the recording of the statements from parents on Thursday as the probe into the program which was recommended by a report by the Uasin Gishu County Assembly intensities.
But as the probe continues, parents want the DCI to finalize their investigations within a month so that the matter can be put to rest.
“Watoto na sisi wazazi tumechoka. Tunaomba DCI isipite mwezi moja kabla hawajamaliza hii maneno,” said another parent.
It remains unclear whether the DCI will summon Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago for questioning over the program.
How much was in account?
Mandago who initiated the program when serving as the Governor last week said at the time he left office, there were over Ksh100 million in various accounts for the Finland Program.
This was contrary to the Ksh1.8 million that Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor Eng John Barorot said was in the account.
It is also to be seen whether the current county officials will be summoned by the DCI.
Meanwhile, some of the parents have insisted that all they want is a refund of their money.
“Refund is the main thing for me. Children are sleeping in the house asking what will be done about their situation yet people that run away with our money are busy chest-thumping,” noted another parent.
It is estimated that at least 200 students are yet to travel to Finland despite having paid school fees, accommodation and other expenses.
Each of the parents paid between Ksh1.5 million and Ksh3 million for the program which the county has since clarified that it was not a scholarship program.
