Kiambu MPs reignite one man one shilling debate

Kiambu lawmakers have faulted the formula for the allocation of national government CDF, which they say favours sparsely populated constituencies.

And denies fair pay to densely populated areas and their own bright, needy students.

MPs Muchua Waithaka (Kiambu), John Njuhuna (Kiambaa), Gathoni Wamuchomba (Githunguri) and Kiharu's Ndindi Nyoro have called for the one man one shilling proposal to ensure equity in distribution of resources.

They spoke in Kiambu on Sunday during the issuance of bursaries to county students.

Njuguna said areas with more inhabitants should be allocated more resources.

"If a needy student in Kiambaa gets Sh10,000 for bursary, then even that student from Lamu or Wajir and other less populated areas should get the same amount of bursary," Njuguna said.

It is their contention that densely populated constituencies like Kiambu can only give a bursary of Sh2,000 to students in secondary schools, compared to the more than Sh10,000 given to those in sparsely populated constituencies with few learners.

"The bursary fund allocation for Kiambu constituency is not enough because there are a lot of needy and deserving students who are left out. Sometimes we are forced to give them as little as Sh2,000 each," Machua said.

He spoke during the Kiambu constituency bursary fund issuance where Sh31 million was disbursed to 7,000 beneficiaries.

Njuguna said it was not fair that his Kiambaa constituency with over 120,000 voters is given an equal allocation to a constituency with just 20,000 voters.

"We will change the law to make sure all  students in Kenya get equal amounts of bursary," he said after issuing a cheque of Sh35 million for 10,000 students.

He said the area's contribution to the GDP is high due to the population and it also pays the highest tax as compared to other areas. But it gets a lesser allocation. 

"When it comes to reciprocation according to what we contribute to the GDP and paying of taxes, we get little and this we must change. We must separate national government developments and that of bursary funds," Njuguna said.

Githunguri MP Gathoni Wamuchomba who disbursed Sh40 million  bursaries said that as legislators they will push for one man, one shilling, one vote equitable distribution of resources.

He said Kiambu county is getting a raw deal due to high population.

"Those of us who are in populated constituencies are united to push for one man, one shillings, one vote to legislate on population parity so we get equity in distribution of resources," Wamuchomba said.

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro, chairman of the Budget and Appropriations committee in the National Assembly, was speaking in Kiambu during the county constituency bursary issuance ceremony.

He said as a committee they are coming up with a formula of distribution of development funds that should not be distributed by kilometres but by population.

"We are asking ourselves what a country is and we concluded that it is the people who make up a country and money should be distributed according to the population of the people," Ndini said.

"When it comes to bursary let it be distributed according to the population as the people are the ones who study and the people are the ones who pay taxes, not kilometres," he said.

The MP said they have prioritised the principle of one man, one shilling, one vote distribution of resources in the budget.

About 24,000 bright and needy students in Kiambu benefitted from a Sh100 million bursary from the county government.

Governor Wamatangi was issuing the bursary funds at the county government headquarters in Kiambu town. He said on Monday another group of students will benefit from Sh100 million, which is to be passed by the assembly this week through a supplementary budget.

It will be disbursed next month.

He announced a further Sh100 million has been proposed in the 2023-24 budget appropriations bill to be disbursed in August this year. This will total Sh300 million bursary funds this financial year, which ends on June 30 this year.

"When we are doing our budget for the financial year 2024-25, there will be no negotiations, the bursary for a needy student will be paid according to the school's fees structure," Wamatangi said.

The governor said that his plan is to establish a Sh600 million annual bursary kitty from next year to cover more needy students as part of his efforts to ensure access to quality education for all.

"We all know that there are no school fees of Sh3,000 or Sh4,000 as we issue bursaries. We have not fulfilled the needs of that needy parent or student as the allocation is inadequate.

Wamatangi said his administration has initiated the process of tendering for the construction of 78 new ECDE classrooms and renovating 23 others that are dilapidated. 

He further said his administration will build a strong education foundation, and has initiated a feeding programme for ECDE pupils where they will be better nourished with porridge and eggs..

"Starting this month, our children in ECDE will start taking nutritious porridge every day in the morning and will be taking an egg three days in a week. We will build a modern ablution block in every ECDE," Wamatangi said.

He added that the needy students who were beneficiaries of full sponsorships awarded during previous regimes will continue with the programme as it is not about who is the governor, it is about needy students getting a chance to education.

"This is not about a new governor who will give full bursary sponsorship to people he knows as it has happened in previous regimes," the governor said.

"I will be giving bursaries to students of Kiambu and those who benefitted earlier will continue benefit. We will increase the fund so  we increase more beneficiaries," Wamatangi said.

(Edited by V. Graham)