Scammed and abandoned: Who will save Uasin Gishu parents in Finland education saga?

‎Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago, with county officials Meshack Rono and Joshua Lelei, follow proceedings at the Nakuru Law Courts as Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege delivers a ruling in the Sh1.1 billion Finland and Canada Overseas Education Programme case. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Uasin Gishu was yesterday a county full of heartbreak as victims of the Sh1.1 billion Finland and Canada overseas education saga expressed their disappointment just hours after suspects in the botched scheme were acquitted by a Nakuru court.

Parents and their children, who had dreamed of travelling abroad for their education, painted a picture of a governance failure that drove them into depression after losing millions of shillings in hard-earned savings raised through the sale of property.

In Uasin Gishu, the epicentre of the scam, heartbroken victims of the Finland and Canada saga reacted bitterly to the judgment, which they claimed denied them and their children justice.

The county's Senator, Jackson Mandago, and three others were acquitted after three years of battling the case in court.

In Simat, Kapseret Sub-County, the atmosphere was one of despair.

A frail Tirop Murei, a former close ally of Senator Mandago, was reeling from what he described as the most painful heartbreak of his life.

The 84-year-old Murei lamented what he described as betrayal by a friend for whom he campaigned vigorously in 2013 when Mandago vied for the Uasin Gishu governorship, and again in 2017 when he successfully defended the seat.

A devastated Murei said he had no reason to doubt the overseas education programme since it was championed by the county leadership led by his former friend, Mandago.

He ended up paying Sh1.2 million for his granddaughter, Edith Chepkosgei, after selling a large portion of his land in Simat.

"I was Mandago's number one political campaigner in Simat. I ensured that he won the gubernatorial election," Murei told *The Standard* at his home yesterday.

He continued:

"One day, I heard people talking about an overseas education programme and I went to his office to enquire. He explained it to me and I was persuaded. He asked me to bring Sh1.2 million, and I returned home to sell land. Together with other parents, we were told to pay Sh10,000 to facilitate the opening of a bank account, and we complied."

"Later, we were told that the money was used to pay for other parents who had not paid fees for their children. But our question has always been: who withdrew the money that was supposedly paid on behalf of those parents?"

Although Murei was disappointed by the acquittal, he said he was not ready to appeal the verdict, leaving the suspects "at the mercy of curses", which he said often follow people who commit injustices.

He said his granddaughter had resorted to working as a housemaid after years of frustration.

"My granddaughter's dream of pursuing her education in Finland was shattered by the actions of people I trusted," he added.

Murei, who was among the parents who testified against Mandago and the three other accused persons in Nakuru, said he had expected a fair judgment after the victims presented evidence, including receipts showing payments to the overseas education scheme.

He was among more than 300 victims who gathered in Eldoret to express their disappointment with the court's verdict.

For Mzee Christopher Rotich, life has been tough after he used his entire pension to pay Sh1.2 million for his child to travel to Finland.

"There is no justice for the poor in Kenya. The system only favours the rich. Where will we run to?" Rotich said.

Asenath Okerio, a mother of two, paid Sh750,000 in August 2022 with the hope of studying for a nursing degree at Thompson Rivers University in Canada, but that remained a pipe dream.

"Life has been tough without a job in Kenya. My life has taken a nosedive over the last four years. In fact, I would not have had children if I had known things would turn out this way. I'm a licensed clinical officer, but I cannot secure a job in Kenya. Just give me back my money so I can invest it in a business," Okerio said, fighting back tears.

Hope Kiprono, a student, said his parents paid Sh650,000 each for him and his brother to pursue diplomas in hospitality at Steinbeis University in Finland, but that too remained a pipe dream.

"Many of our colleagues have fallen into depression and resorted to drug and alcohol abuse. The government should intervene and ensure our parents get their money back," Kiprono said.

Shadrack Juma, a parent, said many families had taken bank loans in anticipation that their children would secure better lives abroad.

"We are surprised to hear that those responsible for the loss of our hard-earned money are off the hook. If they are indeed innocent, where did the money go? Our children are now hopeless at home. Where is justice in this country? Who will come to our rescue?" Juma said.

He paid Sh1,277,000 in 2022 after taking a bank loan, hoping that his daughter would study nursing at Laurea University in Finland.

Esther Kemboi, another parent, said it was regrettable that the alleged theft happened in President William Ruto's political backyard and called on him to intervene.

"This is your home and we love and respect you a lot. If this trend continues, we may be forced to take another political direction in 2027. Mr President, please talk to the county government to ensure we get our money back."

Kemboi paid Sh925,000 on February 23, 2022, after taking a bank loan to enable her daughter to travel to Finland.

Her daughter, who was in her second year at the University of Nairobi pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce degree, deferred her studies in anticipation of travelling to Finland.

Mandago and his co-accused had been facing charges of conspiring to steal Sh1.1 billion from a Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) account in Eldoret registered under the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund, which was intended for overseas university fees.

According to information obtained by The Standard, the funds were collected from parents to facilitate tertiary education in Finland and Canada during the 2021/22 financial year.

The Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund account was opened in May 2021 and, by December 2022, a total of Sh957,167,143 had been credited by parents.

It also emerged that Sh257,326,740 was transferred from the Uasin Gishu Overseas Account to beneficiaries identified as agents or intermediaries for onward transmission to universities in Finland and Canada.

On Thursday, many victims had expected a court victory to provide justice, but instead they were left asking difficult questions of the former governor and a judiciary they had hoped would protect ordinary citizens from the excesses of those in power.

Those who also expressed dissatisfaction include: Juma, who said he lost more than Sh1.2 million, vowed that the victims would continue pursuing justice until every affected family receives a full refund.

"We will not get tired until we get back all our money," he said.

Asenath said she endured immense emotional distress after dropping out of a local college in anticipation of joining a Canadian institution, only for the opportunity to collapse.

 "Life has been so stressful for us, yet justice seems elusive. We will continue fighting, and those who took our money will one day pay for it," she said.

Another victim, Jacinta, recalled how parents were repeatedly assured that the programme was on course despite growing delays.

"When it was time for us to leave for Finland, we were told another group had delayed. We kept waiting and attended meetings where the governor assured us everything was okay and nothing would go wrong," she said.

Rotich, a resident of Kesses who had enrolled to study physiotherapy and nursing at Laurea University, testified during the trial that he paid KSh1.2 million into the Uasin Gishu Overseas Trust Fund between August 15 and September 9, 2022.

He maintained that he believed the programme was a county government initiative.

"Hii programme ilikuwa ya county government, advert ya county, managers na employees ni county government... mwenye kuanzisha ni Mandago... so ukiambiwa uende ulipe fees huwezi kataa," he told the court.

Another complainant, Naomi, testified:

"Nilipata email ikisema fees haikulipwa na nililipa Sh1.2 million."

On August 16, 2023, President Ruto directed those behind the Uasin Gishu overseas airlift programme to refund the parents.

The President described the Finland student airlift saga, which thrust his home county into the national spotlight, as shameful.

He ordered those who spearheaded the programme, which had run into trouble earlier that year, to refund parents even before investigations were concluded.

"We will not entertain theft and underhand dealings. People who sold their cows and land should get their money back," Ruto said while addressing a rally in Eldoret.

In the heat of the moment, Mandago, the principal suspect at the time, promised to sell some of his properties to compensate the parents, a promise that was never fulfilled.

In June 2024, Mandago's political rival, Oscar Sudi, urged the former governor to organise a fundraiser to repay parents who had lost money in the programme.

"I contributed to many children who were in the Finland programme and I want my money back," the Kapseret MP said.

-Reports by Stephen Rutto, Wycliffe Kipsang and Chris Wahome