A section of the poor widowed parents Nakuru East Constituency are crying wolf over the poor management of bursary funds offered by the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Some of the parents who talked to news reporters over the weekend allege that the CDF committee and the county commission officers were abetting corruption in the disbursement of the funds, a fact that was affecting the education of their children.
Eunice Butembu said she applied for the CDF bursary for her secondary school going children using her late husband’s death certificates among other documents. However, she has never benefited from the funds so far.
She said that she is unable to pay fees for her four children, two in primary and two in secondary schools within Nakuru town from her small scale business. She said her late civil servant husband Samuel Butembu did not have enough savings and education insurance to support their children’s education.
“I fear that my children may not continue with school. Every time I go to the CDF offices I never get assistance. My children are often out of school and I do not know who can assist me access the bur sary,’’ she lamented.
Another widow, Agnes Mwai who is a vegetable seller in Mawanga estate said she had on several occassions applied for the bursary funds but in vain. She too said her husband who was a small scale farmer and matatu driver died in a road accident five years ago leaving her to take care of their two teenage boys.
“I have never understood the criteria to awarding these funds. Some families who are better off than us have benefited but I have never. Where do I get help? she posed.
A local political aspirant and social activist Daniel Mungai however says corruption in the CDF office and the county commission offices are to blame.
“We are challenging the area Member of Parliament and the County Commissioner to address this matter. It is corruption but not lack of funds that is costing poor children their education,’’ he said.