The student from Uasin Gishu University who on Monday delivered a speech to county executives at a conference in Eldoret has spoken out about the viral video.
24-year-old Mercy Tarus claimed in an interview with KTN News on Tuesday that she wasn’t being impolite and was merely demanding accountability from the authorities.
She was one of the kids impacted by the educational scandal in Finland, which has since attracted attention.
“I was not being rude. I just wanted accountability from the leaders themselves. I did not know the video had reached many people.
“My expectation ilikuwa cheque ya pesa yangu. I do hairdressing and on weekends I sell porridge and mandazis. I see I gave just enough information and enough pieces of my mind because that was what I was thinking,” she said.
She termed it as ‘highway robbery in broad daylight from the very people elected into power to take care of the welfare of the people.
“Mnatuibia mchana mchana na mnatumia serikali and the power that has been given to you to steal from us. How can you have something to live for when all your dreams are being crushed by the very people that you elected?” she paused.
She addressed the leaders; Governor Jonathan Bii, his Deputy John Barorot and Senator Jackson Mandagor who had turned up for a meeting with the students and their parents.
The seemingly agitated student began by questioning why the leaders unapologetically arrived late for the meeting which had been scheduled to start at 9 am.
As a result, the elderly parents who had arrived on time were kept waiting for hours.
She said the students affected by the fiasco were suffering with some using antidepressants yet their own children were abroad and doing well in life.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) assured Kenyans that the probe into the Finland scholarship saga is ongoing.
This comes after a section of Kenyans took to social media to question what the EACC was doing about the matter.
EACC Director of Communications Eric Ngumbi told the Star on Tuesday that they are finalising the probe on the matter.
“The EACC being fully aware of the immense public interest and need for expeditious justice in this matter, has prioritized the investigation that commenced in March 2023,” Ngumbi said.
