Didmus Barasa sets eyes on Bungoma governorship, pledges to prioritise education

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa at a past event. [File, Standard]

Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa, who is eyeing the Bungoma governor seat, has promised to reintroduce the Nyayo milk, boost infrastructure development and initiate key policies aimed at empowering teachers.

Barasa said devolution is meant to address challenges at the grassroots.

Speaking at his Nasianda residence after meeting more than 3,000 Junior Secondary School (JSS) teachers, the MP promised to address their welfare and push for better remuneration.

“I appreciate the teacher's endorsement, when I was first elected in 2017 at age of 27, I presented a Bill in Parliament proposing that when teachers retire, they should be paid within 90 days, it was passed and awaiting implementation. I will also table a Bill in the National Assembly seeking notice period of 6 months before transfer so that teachers can plan and ensure families continue being together. Just like the Judiciary has such an Act,” Barasa said.

“You (Teachers) are suffering because none of your own is present when decisions are being discussed or made,” he added.

Barasa said his track record speaks for itself and promised to hold talks with the people of Bungoma to ratify his proposals.

“I propose we remove the ECDE feeding programme and replace it with free milk/ Nyayo milk, whose beneficiaries will be learners from ECDE to Grade 9 twice a week. Pregnant and lactating women will also benefit from the milk programme. That's achievable if we complete the stalled milk plant in Webuye,” he said.

“In terms of progressive policy as a governor, I will trigger milk shortage in the county to ensure purchase of proper dairy animals and distribute the animals across different groups in the county so that the county gets milk from the farmers and take it to the processing plant in Webuye for processing and take it back to institutions,” he added.

Barasa regretted that the farmers sell maize to middlemen at a throwaway price.

"As a governor, I will caution farmers so that we don't have exploitation of maize farmers, thus weakening the maize basket," he noted.

He said there's need to revamp village polytechnics to offer quality education.

"There's no way a senior secondary school or primary school can be more beautiful and well-built than a village polytechnic," he said.

On the health sector, he said the local public hospitals cannot compete with private facilities due to the quality of services.

"We will introduce private wings within our public hospitals, improve the cleanliness and the time taken before a patient receives treatment so that can build trust in public hospitals,” he said. 

Barasa said the Huduma Center in Kimilili Constituency will ensure parents get birth certificates for their children to facilitate registration for national examinations.

He proposed that the transfer of JSS teachers should be halted for 5 years until this autonomy matter is resolved.

“Attaining autonomy for junior secondary school is a war that we must win and it has to be done in installments. The ministry can appoint an individual in JSS and the money channeled, let’s send the money to the mother and not the father. JSS should be audited as a standalone and not in primary schools,” he said.

Teachers led by Bungoma County Kuppet executive secretary Augustine Luketelo pledged to support Barasa.

Luketelo said they believe the MP will support education in the county

"Autonomy can be realised by ensuring teachers have a voice in the governor bid. I have seen in Didmus we shall have a voice and space where our issues will be addressed," he said.