EMBU, Kenya- Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has challenged the Ministry of Education’s position on free secondary education, insisting that the cost of implementing the programme is both known and manageable if the government prioritizes it properly.
Speaking at a young political aspirant’s forum in Embu town, Nyoro dismissed claims by the Ministry that the exact cost of free secondary education remains unclear.
He argued that a straightforward adjustment to student capitation would make the policy achievable.
“The cost of free secondary education is not a mystery,” Nyoro said. “If we increase capitation from Sh22,000 to Sh31,000 per student and structure the funding properly, the programme is completely achievable.”
According to the MP, the proposed Ksh 9,000 increase per learner would be carefully allocated, with Sh6,000 going toward tuition and Ksh 3,000 set aside to support Board of Management teachers and cover essential school operational expenses.
To finance the expanded capitation nationwide, Nyoro outlined a three-pronged funding approach. He proposed reducing each MP’s constituency allocation by Sh 30 million, which would generate about Ksh 10 billion.
An additional Ksh 10 billion would come from county government bursary funds, with the national government contributing the final Ksh 10 billion.
“We can raise Sh30 billion for secondary education today by reallocating resources from constituencies, counties, and the national government,” he said. “This is a matter of political will, not capacity.”
Nyoro also used the platform to criticize the government’s handling of proposed sales of public assets, particularly its shares in Safaricom.
He questioned why discussions around the sale appeared opaque and driven by behind-the-scenes negotiations rather than an open and competitive process.
“It is wrong for government officials to speak on behalf of buyers instead of conducting an open, competitive international process that protects the public interest,” Nyoro said.
He further alleged irregularities in the proposed sale of Kenya Pipeline Company shares, claiming that a purported Ugandan investor is, in fact, Kenyan, an arrangement he suggested prioritizes individual interests over national benefit.
Emphasizing the need for transparency, Nyoro warned that he was prepared to publicly release contact details of Vodafone and Vodacom directors to allow Kenyans to directly question their involvement in the Safaricom share discussions.
Addressing young political aspirants at the event, the MP lamented what he described as a shortage of leaders committed to meaningful development.
He criticized a trend where elected officials spend their early years in office struggling to understand their responsibilities.
“Kenyans suffer when leaders assume office and only then start asking what they should do,” Nyoro said. “Leadership must come with preparedness, clarity, and accountability.”
