Bomet youths postpone protests over county corruption allegations to respect ongoing KCSE examinations

Bomet youth leaders, led by Diaz Kimutai (in grey T-shirt) addressing the press at the Willis Hotel in Bomet.

Leadership

Youth in Bomet County have agreed to temporarily suspend planned protests against the local government until the ongoing national examinations are concluded.        

The protests, which were scheduled for Wednesday, November 6, had been organized to highlight concerns over corruption and mismanagement of public funds within the Bomet County government. The decision to postpone the demonstrations was made after consultations with education officials, leaders from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and the Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), local clergy, school heads, and the parents’ association.

The youth, led by Diaz Kimutai, expressed their commitment to resuming protests after the examinations period, which is crucial for thousands of students currently sitting their Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams.   Speaking to the press in Bomet Town on Wednesday, Kimutai told the public to be patient, assuring them that a new date for the protests would be announced soon.

He clarified that the postponement was not a result of pressure from the county government but rather a decision made to avoid disrupting the exams.  “We have decided to temporarily postpone the peaceful protests against the corrupt individuals in and outside Bomet County to respect the ongoing national exams. We do not want to disturb this important national exercise, which affects the future of thousands of students,” Kimutai said.

The protests had been planned in response to allegations of widespread corruption within Bomet County government, including claims of fraudulent payments, misappropriation of Sh1.2 billion, and mismanagement of Sh373 million meant for procuring heavy construction materials, part of a larger Sh1.6 billion scandal currently under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

Kimutai reaffirmed the group’s commitment to the fight against corruption in the county and praised the EACC for its ongoing investigations into the scandal. “We applaud the EACC for the actions taken so far, including issuing summons to several county officials. However, we believe that those implicated should resign immediately to allow for a transparent investigation,” Kimutai added.

Fellow youth leader Vitaline Cherotich also called for further scrutiny of the county’s financial management, particularly regarding unpaid bills and suspected fraud in departments such as roads and health.

“We urge the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to conduct a thorough investigation into these pending bills and forgeries. We encourage the public to join us in upcoming protests, as it is our civic duty to demand accountability from our leaders,” Cherotich said.

However, the Bomet County police denied the youth’s request to demonstrate, citing a shortage of officers due to their involvement in overseeing the national examinations. The postponement of the protests comes just days after eight senior Bomet County officials were arrested and questioned by EACC over the alleged financial mismanagement, which has led to a loss of billions of shillings.

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