Parents have been asked to take their children to school when schools open next week and warned those who will go against government directives that will be dealt with.
Addressing mourners in Muji village, Maraka ward in Webuye East sub county during the burial of mama Trufosa Mbiti Kiveu, Kaisagat location Chief in Kwanza sub county in Trans Nzoia county Christine Malagwen said schools are opening soon and all children must be in school for the government to achieve 100% transition, adding that parents have no choice as the government is paying fees therefore every child should go to school.
Maraka sub location assistant chief Fredrick Mang’anyu said that they have a plan to walk in every village and homes from next week in collaboration with his village elders and nyumba kumi and anyone who will be found at home with their kids will be handed over to police.
Mang’anyu also appealed to parents to look for school fees for their children on time especially for those who will be joining form one in July to apply for ward and constituency bursaries so that they can be assisted at the right time to avoid last minute rush which may lead to students staying at home due to lack of fees.
On road issues he said that the area MCA and the county government of Bungoma have plans to make some roads but they have been receiving resistance from some residents who don’t want roads to be expanded saying it will affect their pieces of land and has appealed to them to cooperate and let the roads expanded adding that some have encroached lands meant for road expansion saying road network is important for any development to be realized in any given area.
Retired senior chief for Maraka location Stephen Ngano took an issue with the county leadership for politicizing the employment of village administrators saying political supremacy being experienced in Bungoma county at the moment is unhealthy and should stop and allow youths and people of Bungoma to get employment adding that the executive and the assembly should solve their issues amicably without each chest thumbing saying wananchi especially youths are the biggest number of voters and will be waiting for them on the ballot if they continue using their employment as a political tool.
His sentiments were echoed by deputy chief of staff in Bungoma county government Mr. Job Chelongo who criticized those opposing the employment terming them as enemies of development and asserted that government under leadership of governor Wycliffe Wangamati will not bow down but are going to make sure that village administrators are employed whether Bungoma county MCAs will like it or not.
Two days ago Bungoma county service board mandated for employment led by Mr. Jonathan Namulala Nyongesa confirmed that they have began interviewing more than 3000 youths who had been shortlisted for the interview and assured Bungoma residents that the exercise will be free and fair adding that those candidates whose names appeared in two different villages was just a clerical error that will not affect the outcome of their exercise.
The exercise is supposed to take one full month in order to employ 236 village administrators who under them will have six village counsels thus providing more than 600 job opportunities to residents especially youths of Bungoma county, however a section of MCAs have contested and criticized the move by the county government alleging there is no budget for the exercise.