Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku has dismissed remarks made by former CS Justin Muturi on bursaries.
Muturi had recently called for the scrapping of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) bursaries, saying they have failed to reach all students.
However, during the Mazingira Day celebrations held at Gituburi Primary School in Mbeere North, Embu County, CS Ruku dismissed Muturi’s claims as misleading and disconnected from the reality on the ground.
He said during his tenure as an MP, every student from Mbeere North who applied for the NG-CDF bursary support received assistance.
According to Ruku, the bursaries have significantly alleviated the financial burden of school fees for many parents, particularly in the semi-arid Mbeere region, where economic challenges are more pronounced.
CS Ruku maintained that the NG-CDF bursary programme remains a vital lifeline for vulnerable households, allowing children to remain in school and pursue their education without interruption.
He cautioned that calls to abolish the fund could seriously undermine educational access for thousands of deserving students across the country.
“It is only people like him, who do not have children in school at the moment, that fail to understand what parents are going through,” Ruku said.
He also criticised Muturi and his allies in the opposition for disparaging development projects in Mbeere, particularly their comments regarding the recently advertised tender for the Gikuyari–Kiriì–Ishiara road.
The CS urged residents to exercise caution in the upcoming parliamentary by-election.
Ruku warned that electing leaders who oppose NG-CDF bursaries could jeopardise the consistent and reliable disbursement of funds in the constituency.
He said the people of Mbeere North have declared to elect Leonard Wamuthende on the UDA ticket in the upcoming Mbeere North by-election.
Turning to environmental matters, Ruku aligned with this year’s Mazingira Day, themed "Citizen Centric Tree Growing and Environmental Stewardship", by encouraging residents to adopt tree planting as a daily habit.
He noted that in arid and semi-arid regions like Mbeere North, tree planting is not merely symbolic but a practical response to climate change and water scarcity.
During the Celebrations, the CS led other government officials, learners, and residents to plant trees in his former school.
He highlighted government initiatives aimed at promoting the planting of drought-resistant indigenous trees, supported by water harvesting technologies such as rooftop catchments and community-managed dams.
He called on every household, school, church, and institution to take part in this national mission.
Ruku emphasised the importance of shifting the mindset from merely planting to growing trees, nurturing them to maturity as a long-term commitment to environmental restoration.
He urged residents to support President William Ruto's vision of planting 15 billion trees, describing it as a patriotic duty to work toward realizing this ambitious goal.
Ruku further noted that tree growing is a means of job creation, youth empowerment, and local entrepreneurship through seedling nurseries and climate-smart agriculture.
He underlined that environmental conservation is not separate from development but is central to it, particularly for vulnerable communities that rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.
The CS called on residents to take personal responsibility for their environment and future, urging them to ensure that every child grows up beside a tree they planted.
“Let us leave here not just inspired but committed,” he said, reinforcing the message that the journey to a greener and more resilient Kenya begins with individual action.
