Ruto Promises Local Scholarships for Students Involved in Fake Finland Scholarships Saga
Ruto Promises Local Scholarships for Students Involved in Fake Finland Scholarships Saga. Students who signed up for the phony Finland program have been promised local scholarships to finish their study by President William Ruto.
The president of state assured the citizens of Eldoret that his government would work with the law enforcement and be there for them after the investigations were finished.
“When the investigations are over, the government will help the students who were going to enroll in the program get local scholarships so they can pursue their education to the fullest. These are our young, innocent youngsters.
Ruto issued a warning to people who allegedly stole millions of dollars from program-enrolling parents and failed to repay the money. He said he would not want it to happen again because it was embarrassing.
Anyone who steals money meant for the students of Uasin Gishu’s education should feel ashamed. He declared, “Those accountable must carry their own cross.”
“Whoever misappropriated the money obtained from the parents shall arrange for their restitution.” He said that some parents who had sold property or other assets needed to be compensated.
On Wednesday morning, Uasin Gishu senator Jackson Mandago was taken into custody on suspicion of being involved in the scandal. He and three other county officials were well-known because of the Finland and Canada Overseas Education Program.
A Nakuru court on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for the senator so that he could answer to several accusations. The Uasin Gishu Overseas Education Trust was established by the county’s governor in 2021 with the goal of providing scholarships to students from Uasin Gishu so they can study at various universities in Finland.
The parents of about 200 pupils gave a total of Sh837 million between May and December of the same year.
Among the institutions found in Finland were Tampere University, JAMK University, Northern Lights University, Elimu University, LUT University, SCI Stenberg, Edu Excellence College, and Eton College Vancouver.
The first group of 202 students visited Finland in September 2021. Tampere University received about 111 applications, Laurea University received 67 for nursing programs, and Jyvaskylla University received 25.
Tampere came in second with Sh113.7 million, followed by Edu Excellence College in third place with Sh145.8 million. LUT University received Sh6.5 million, Northern Lights University Sh5 million, SCI Stenberg Sh7 million, and Eton College Sh2.1 million in compensation.
The money was intended for the expenses of fees, travel, insurance, and housing. While the price of lodging ranged from 24,000 to 27,000 shillings, the cost of insurance was 30,000 shillings.
More than seven months after Mandago’s resignation as governor, the ghosts came back to haunt him after the county failed to pay the students’ tuition.
If the necessary payments were not paid on time, several institutions even threatened to sever their ties with the county. The EAC moved quickly to indict three county officials in response to the parents’ concerns regarding the arrangement.
The entirety of Wednesday night was spent at the Rift Valley Regional Directorate of Criminal Investigations Headquarters in Nakuru by Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago.
Mandago appeared at the DCI offices with a horde of attorneys shortly after 4:00 p.m.
The contentious Sh1.1 billion Overseas Education initiative in Finland and Canada has brought many students and their parents to tears.
The former governor of Uasin Gishu was given an arrest warrant this morning by Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege of Nakuru after he failed to show up for court as planned.
As he issued the warrant, the magistrate noticed that Mandago’s cellphone was off and that he did not dwell in Nakuru.
Earlier in the day, Mandago tweeted that he was the subject of reports that the police wanted to arrest him.
The lawmaker promised to show up if necessary.
He further asserted that he had communicated with the affected families and was prepared to return the money.
There was unrest outside the Nakuru Law Courts prior to his arrival at the DCI regional headquarters because armed police personnel had blocked all entrances.
The court’s gate was closed despite the heavy police presence.
A few hours prior, President William Ruto had commanded an investigation into the incident and the detention of individuals found to be accountable.
Speaking at the ongoing devolution conference in Eldoret, Ruto promised the impacted students local scholarships.
When the media got a hold of him, he was still imprisoned in the corporate office.
Inasin Gishu In anticipation of their court appearance on Thursday morning, Senator Jackson Mandago and his co-defendants in the Finland/Canada scholarship program will spend Wednesday night in police custody.