EACC detectives raid homes of senior county officials linked to Finland Saga!!
“We hope to conclude the probe in a few weeks” EACC Regional Boss North Rift
Victims of Finland and Canada scholarship program demonstrate along Eldoret-Uganda Highway Wednesday /Hubzmedia
Detectives attached to the Ethic and Anti-Corruption Commission
carried out raids on the homes of senior officials of the Uasin Gishu
county government linked to the controversy riddled regional
government’s overseas study programme.
The over ten sleuths ransacked their homes in Eldoret town estate and
their rural homes in search of documents linking them to the more
than sh 800 million belonging to the parents and students that was
spent on the aborted Finland and Canada airlift programme.
Speaking to the Hubzmedia , the EACC North Rift regional manager
Charles Rasugu who confirmed the raids assured the affected parents
and students that they will expedite the investigations into the saga
to enable them get justice.
“We are telling the affected parents and students to be patient enough
because the investigation that we are carrying out might take a bit
longer. But we hope to conclude the probe in a few weeks ,”
said Rasugu.
The anti-graft regional boss said they have a water tight case against
those implicated in the Finland and Canada scandal adding that other
officials from the county were on their radar.
“Once we are through with investigations on all the targeted people, we
shall forward the file to office of the director of public prosecution
for further action,” said Rasugu
This comes in the wake of protests organized by hundreds of parents
and students in the streets of Eldoret town yesterday demanding
millions of shillings they paid for an aborted airlift education
programme through the devolved unit.
The rioting protesters vowed to storm Eldoret Sport Club, the venue of
devolution conference slated for August 15-19 to disrupt the event
should the county fail to refund their money in one week.
On Monday, tension and emotion ran high at Eldoret social hall as
parents and students lectured the county top leaders for allegedly
bungling the airlift education programme which had sunk their money
running into millions of shillings.
Some students wept uncontrollably as they narrated the ordeal they
have gone through since last year while seeking an answer over the
aborted plan to further their education abroad despite paying all the
requisite fees through the county government.
The leaders, among the Governor Jonathan Bii, his Deputy John Barorot
and Senator Jackson Mandago had convened the engagement crisis meeting
with the affected parents and students with a view of finding a
solution to the aborted Finland and Canada saga.
A section of the enraged parents recounted how they sold their
property including land, tractors, maize or used retirement benefits
to pay for their children to study in Finland and Canada.
Edward Kiptek, of the affected parents, moved the meeting in tears as
he narrated how he paid sh 2.5 million for two of his children to go
and study in Finland but two years down the line they are still at
home.
“I paid sh 1.2 million for my children’s education in Finland two
years ago but to date none of them has traveled overseas for studies.
My only prayer to the county government is to refund my money to save
me from more frustration and depression,” said Kiptek
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