Protests against Ongeri enter day two

By Cyrus Ombati

Civil society activists continued to put pressure on education minister Prof Sam Ongeri outside his office demanding his resignation over the Sh4.2 billion scam.

The activists camped outside the ministry of education headquarters Jogoo House, Nairobi, for the second day Thursday chanting anti-Ongeri slogans and asking him to resign.

They vowed to continue staging the protest until the minister leaves. Ongeri was not in his office as he was said to be out planning Friday’s visit of President Kibaki to Kisii.

Security officers at the education offices locked gates to bar protestors from accessing the minister’s office. Some of the protestors tried to jump over the gates but were deterred by police.

The activists had on Wednesday night been attacked by a group of youths for "maligning" the name of the minister and government.

A defiant protestor argues with a security man at Jogoo House. Protests against Education Minister Prof Sam Ongeri entered the second day on Thursday. Photo: Standard

According to their leader, Okoiti Omtatah, they managed to arrest one of the youths.

"We arrested him and took him to Central police station after they tried to attack us in a bid to chase us from the area. We will continue with the protest until these officials leave," said Omtatah.

He said operations in some schools had been affected because of the alleged theft of the funds. As the group continued to protest, police watched from a distance saying the new laws allow peaceful picketing.

The group was arrested by police on Tuesday and then released for camping and locking the minister’s office.

They had staged an overnight sit-in at the offices on Tuesday night demanding Ongeri’s suspension or resignation over the loss of Sh4.2 billion meant to fund Free Primary Education.

They had blocked the second floor of Jogoo House disrupting activities there for hours.

Officials at the ministry had to cut a huge chain and padlock that the activists had used to lock the door to the minister’s office.

Prof Ongeri and the ministry’s former Permanent secretary Prof Karega Mutahi have both denied they were involved in the scam. Ongeri says he was not in office when the scam started. Internal security minister George Saitoti was then the minister for education.

Police are still recording statements from officials at the ministry regarding the issue. Major donors have demanded a refund of the lost money.