Micah Cheserem moved to tears over poverty in Kitui County

By Paul Mutua

Kitui, Kenya: The Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) Chairman Micah Cheserem was moved to tears by the plight of school going children in Kitui County during a familiarisation tour of the region.

Mr Cheserem could not hold back tears at Lingithya Primary School in Simisi Location, Ikutha District in Kitui South Constituency where he discovered hundreds of pupils study under ramshackle structures made of sticks that often exposed them to the harsh weather.

He further learned that the pupils trekked more than 14 kilometres to and from the “school,” with only two teachers employed by the Teachers Service Commission to man the institution’s five classes.

“I must admit I feel sorry for the children and the local community for their state of living. It is not about me but these suffering little ones after 50 years of independence. It is sad because this area has had elected leaders,” Cheserem said as he wiped away tears.

The school’s head teacher, Peter Matheka, told the chairman his pupils come to school in empty stomachs to attend the lessons in the open.

• .

  Keep Reading

• 
  Ogolla's last moments in troubled North Rift
• 
  Counties dealt blow on demand for Sh439 billion equitable share
• 
  CRA wants counties to get Sh407 billion in shareable revenue
• 
  High Court suspends distribution of equalization fund

Mr Matheka said the school lacked ostensibly everything to be called a public institution. He said he carries home the cash box and a few important items from his office daily for safety.

Expansive County                              

Accompanied by the commission’s Director of County Fiscal Affairs, Stephen Masha, senior analysis in financial management, Jane Maingi, and personal assistant, Kennedy Abong’o, Cheserem made a three-day tour of the expansive County where he came face to face with poverty reality on the ground.

Cheserem also visited the Sh3.4 trillion coal-mining project in Mui basin.

He said the country came an inch closer to unlocking of Vision 2030’s industrialisation outline under its economic pillar after awarding the concession to extract part of the mineral resources in Mui basin to the Chinese firm, Fenxi Mining Industry Company.