Speaker urges locals to invest in tertiary education

By DANIEL PSIRMOI and ERIC LUNGAI

Bungoma, Kenya: Residents of Mt Elgon Constituency have been asked to enroll in mid-level colleges and other tertiary institutions.

This will give them a competitive advantage against the rest of other Bungoma County residents in the job market.

Speaking in Chepkube over the weekend, Bungoma County Assembly Deputy Speaker Jane Chebet said majority of youths in the area are not getting employed because many of them do not enroll in colleges after Form Four and thus they do not have requisite and proper academic papers that can help them secure jobs.

Chebet, who is also the Cheptais Ward Member of the County Assembly, said parents in the constituency keep their children at home once they fail to secure places in public universities and conventional institutions like teachers’ and medical training colleges.

She blamed the situation on the slow stride of development in the region and asked local leaders to be in the forefront to champion diversification of tertiary education.

“It is both sad and worrying that fewer Mt Elgon residents are getting employment slots in the Bungoma County government due to lack of qualifications. As leaders, we should be on the forefront in asking our people to train in various fields in order to secure employment opportunities,” said Chebet.

“We as Sabaots should not cry foul every time we are marginalised when it comes to recruitment in county jobs and we are not taking our children to colleges. We cannot compete,” said the Deputy Speaker.

She advised residents to take advantage of the rich agricultural soils in the region to plant short term cash crops like onions, Irish potatoes, tomatoes and carrots that can help them supplement school fees that will help keep their children in school.

Ms Chebet also noted that the retrogressive cultural practices like female genital mutilation has hampered education especially among girls as they get married early.

“Let our people stop the FGM and allow girls to learn in order to compete with their counterparts in other regions, which can offer them the same platform for employment,” advised Chebet.

Meanwhile, a 37-year-old police officer committed suicide in his house at the Vihiga police station yesterday morning.

SUICIDE NOTE

In the suicide note that he left behind, he cited issues pertaining to his life and that of his immediate family.

“I have been disturbed for so long and have no peace of mind and soul. I do so out of my own volition because there is no otherwise,” the note read in part.

He further directed his wife to take care of his two children by claiming his benefits urging his larger family that the death was his own initiative and that no one should worry.

Vihiga police boss Alfred Angengo said the officer, identified as Kenneth Kipng’etich, had been on a week-long off last week during which he visited his Kabutia village home in Nandi County.

“His (days) off was supposed to end today (Monday) and when colleagues went to wake him up in the morning, they found his body dangling from the roof,” he said.

Mr Angengo said the officer had not shown any signs of distress and he had been effective on duty prior to his days off.

He said he will dispatch a team to the deceased officer’s home so that they can investigate if there was any misunderstanding between him and his family.