Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has called on the national government to increase funding for the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) and to empower county governments to continue issuing bursaries, citing the critical role these programs play in supporting education for needy students across the country.
Speaking at a public function, Nyoro emphasized that NG-CDF is a lifeline for thousands of students who rely on bursaries to access education. He dismissed ongoing debates questioning the existence of NG-CDF, urging stakeholders to shift focus toward expanding the fund’s allocation.
“For equity to thrive, we must step down resources from the national government in Nairobi to the grassroots. That is why we must support CDF, to get more funding, because without it, it can be very hard to access funds at the grassroots,” he said. “The debate in the country should not be whether the CDF should exist or not, it should be whether we are going to add more resources into the NG-CDF.”
Nyoro also appealed to the Ministry of Education to streamline the disbursement of capitation funds to schools. He argued that releasing capitation funds in batches has led to financial strain in schools, often forcing institutions into debt as they struggle to meet their operational needs.
In addition, the legislator urged the Controller of Budget to continue allowing governors to distribute bursaries at the county level, warning that halting these programs would have dire consequences for vulnerable families.
“I also want to ask the Controller of Budget to please allow our governors and our counties to continue disbursing bursaries the way they have been doing because if they stop, many households will suffer. There are no national government children or county children; they are all our kids,” said Nyoro.
He further proposed a monthly stipend of at least Ksh.8,000 for village elders, recognizing their essential contribution in grassroots governance and community coordination.
Nyoro’s remarks come as the country prepares its annual budget, where education financing is expected to be a major point of focus.
