Deputy President Prof Kithure Kindiki has firmly dismissed claims that the government is planning to slash funding for free primary and secondary education.
Speaking at Kanduyi in Bungoma county, the DP assured that the Kenya Kwanza administration is doubling down on efforts to expand access and improve the quality of public education to ensure every child get access to free education.
He spoke during an economic empowerment event targeting small scale traders.
“We will not roll back the tremendous progress our nation has made to make education accessible and affordable and I assure you that we will continue to safeguard the sector to ensure every child of this nation get access to education ,” said Kindiki.
Kindiki said the government has allocated more than Sh700 billion to the education sector in the current financial year terming it as one of the largest investments in recent memory.
Kindiki further lauded former Presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta for laying the foundation for universal education, vowing that the President William Ruto’s administration will safeguard and expand those reforms.
“Education is the great equalizer. Kenya cannot afford to take steps backward, not now, not ever We are going out of our way to ensure every child, regardless of where they are born, gets the opportunity to learn without the burden of fees.”he added .
On the chronic teacher shortage that has plagued public schools for decades, he noted the government has recruited 76,000 new teachers since 2022 and plans to add another 24,000 by year’s end.
“Let’s ignore the naysayers, this government is committed to ensuring that education remains affordable, accessible, relevant, and of high quality.”he added .
Empowerment forums
The DP also took time to clarify the role of economic empowerment forums, which have attracted both praise and criticism.
“These forums are about capacity-building, not campaign-style giveaways We want groups to thrive and become self-reliant through organized investment and entrepreneurship.”said kindiki .
He highlighted examples of successful group-based ventures that are reinvesting in local economies, creating jobs, and expanding financial access in underserved regions.
While education took center stage in his address, Prof. Kindiki underscored that the government’s development agenda spans far beyond the classroom.
He lamented that agriculture, roads, health, electricity, and markets are all receiving renewed attention as Kenya pushes toward achieving true middle-income status by 2030.
In Bungoma County, 26 new modern markets are under construction, including major hubs in Bungoma Municipality, Chwele, Naitiri, Kapsokwony, and Cheptais. These facilities aim to create dignified working spaces for traders and boost the local economy.
Addressing hundreds of residents he further said that the government has revived the long-stalled construction of key roads such as the 63-kilometre Musikoma-Navakholo and Misikhu-Brigadier roads—both vital arteries for trade and travel in the region
Among those in attendance were National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka, Deputy Governor Janepher Mbatiany, and President’s Aide Farouk Kibet. Several senators and MPs from across the country also joined the event, projecting a united political front.
