Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has accused leaders from northern Kenya of neglecting to develop educational institutions in their regions despite receiving billions of shillings in devolution funds.
In a statement on Friday, January 9, Gachagua challenged northern Kenya leaders who have criticized his calls for regional considerations in school placements, arguing they have failed to utilize resources allocated to their counties.
“Let leaders from northern Kenya not lecture us about affirmative action. Devolution has been in place since 2013, and leaders from those regions have deliberately refused to develop institutions. Yet they want their children to enjoy the facilities of institutions that have been put by other leaders in other counties,” Gachagua stated.
The former Deputy President cited specific figures to support his argument, noting that since 2013, Wajir County has received Ksh99.6 billion, Marsabit County Ksh76.83 billion, Garissa County Ksh81.7 billion, and Mandera County Ksh119 billion.
“They have the opportunity to develop institutions of the highest standards possible in Kenya, not just for the children of those areas but for the children of Kenya. I traveled as deputy president to those areas and I don’t see any institutions despite the massive funding that taxpayers have channeled to those counties,” he said.
Gachagua contrasted this with counties that have received less funding but have developed quality educational infrastructure, pointing to Western Kenya, Rift Valley, and Mt. Kenya regions.
Gachagua also raised concerns about what he termed the unfair placement of students in national schools, emphasizing that all children in Kenya deserve equal treatment and opportunities.
He cited specific cases where students from areas hosting national schools were denied admission despite scoring high marks, while students from other regions with lower scores secured places in those institutions.
“For example, there is a child from the Gioto area who got 71 out of 72 marks. Alliance High School is just a few meters from the Gioto. That child had asked to be placed in Alliance High School, and the cluster was right. That child was denied an opportunity. Yet, some children from other areas with as low as 50 marks have been admitted to those institutions,” Gachagua explained.
He maintained that his position is not about restricting schools to local children but ensuring fairness in admissions for students from host communities who meet the required standards.
The remarks follow President William Ruto’s strong criticism of attempts to introduce tribal considerations into school placements during an event in Uasin Gishu County on Thursday, January 8.
“Let’s not allow ourselves to be included in tribal politics. Oh, you are Kikuyu, oh, you’re Luo, oh, you’re Kalenjin. That’s bad politics,” Ruto said.
The President expressed concern over efforts to politicize school placements along ethnic lines.
“They have even gone after our children in school. Do you want to divide children in school? How desperate can someone be? Let our children be.”
The controversy was initially sparked when Gachagua, during an address at AIPCA Kiratina Church in Githunguri, Kiambu County, on Sunday, January 4, questioned why students from outside Mt. Kenya were securing places in prestigious regional schools while local students with strong performance were placed in lower-ranking institutions.
