Jonathan Bii, governor of Uasin Gishu, one of Kenya’s prominent counties, is now facing legal scrutiny over his alleged involvement in the controversial Uasin Gishu Finland/Canada Scholarship Program.
Bii, a member of the United Democratic Alliance, an affiliate of Kenya’s ruling coalition, is accused of supporting the scholarship scheme and requesting additional payments from students.
As per media reports, he later distanced himself from the initiative amid allegations of misappropriation of over KSh 1.1 billion meant for scholarships.
Individual accounts by parents of the students revealed that payments ranged from KSh 650,000 to over KSh 1.2 million (approximately USD$5,000–$9,230), with some families reportedly paying up to KSh 3 million (around USD$23,100).
These amounts covered expenses such as tuition, visa and insurance fees, and accommodation deposits.
Kenyan news outlet Daily Nation reported that a key witness, Mitchelle Jeptanui, testified before senior principal magistrate Peter Ndege that in June 2023, Bii held a meeting with parents to assure them that the overseas trip would receive approval shortly.
The parents, already anxious as their children had received admission letters from universities in Canada and Finland, were allegedly asked to pay an additional KSh 200,000 to KSh 300,000 (approximately USD$1,540 to $2,310) for accommodation fees.
However, despite the payments, none of the students were able to travel abroad.
My son never travelled. I am still hoping either for a refund or support for him to go
Benjamin Kibet, parent
When parents once again demanded answers, Bii allegedly shifted the blame to his predecessor, Jackson Mandago, who initiated the program.
However, testimony from seven out of eight witnesses last week confirmed they made their payments after Bii assumed office.
Benjamin Kibet, a parent of one of the affected student, told the court that he took out a loan of KSh 650,000 (around USD$5,000) to fund his son’s education at Stenberg College in Canada, after being introduced to the programme by Mandago and Bii.
“My son never travelled. I am still hoping either for a refund or support for him to go,” Kibet told reporters.
As the case unfolds, Mandago, along with former county officials Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei, is expected to face criminal charges related to the alleged misappropriation of the scholarship funds.
Over the past two years, the scandal has shaken Kenya’s growing middle class, who have aspirations for overseas education.
A 2020 survey had found that more than half of Kenyan students preferred studying at international universities over local institutions.
Moreover, Kenya has been identified as a “high-growth potential” source market for international education.
It ranked as the leading East African market for US universities, with enrolments rising by 45% in 2022 compared to 2019.
Canadian institutions, a key draw for many of the students who ultimately became entangled in the scholarship scandal, also recorded a 12% rise in Kenyan student enrolments during the same period.
Kenyan parents have taken to the streets across Uasin Gishu County over the past few years, demanding answers, as the scandal has left over 300 students stranded at home.
Many of them have reportedly been expelled from Finnish universities or deported, as previously reported by The PIE News.
