The Kanyakwar community in Kisumu’s Central Constituency has benefited from its first-ever secondary school, thanks to the area Member of Parliament, Dr Joshua Oron.
A historic milestone unfolded in Kanyakwar village, and former MP Olago Aluoch also witnessed the occasion.
Aluoch said he was happy to be among those who presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for Kanyakwar Secondary School, the community’s first secondary school.
Oron announced that the project, funded by the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), a government initiative aimed at promoting grassroots development, aims to close the education gap in the region.
“This school will serve a vast area. Kanyakwar is the only clan in the constituency without a secondary school. We are fulfilling our campaign promise to bring education closer to the people,” Oron stated during the event at St. Paul’s Kanyakwar Primary School, where the new institution will be built.
The MP outlined the project’s funding, explaining that two NG-CDF programmes are financing its development.
The NG-CDF constituency committee funds the first project, consisting of three classrooms.
He said the second phase we launch will also be financed through NG-CDF.
Together, Oron said these initiatives would cost Ksh3 million for seven classrooms.
‘But this is just the beginning; we have an ambitious plan to establish laboratories, an administration block, a library, and a multipurpose hall,” he revealed.
Oron strongly defended NG-CDF against calls for removal, emphasizing its role in funding education for underprivileged students.
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“The board I chair in Nairobi manages an annual budget of Ksh500 million for best project demonstrations across the country, and this school is one of them,” Aluoch explained.
He further disclosed that the total NG-CDF budget for the 2024-2026 financial years is Ksh58 billion, with Ksh500 million allocated annually for demonstration projects.
Aluoch also addressed the ongoing legal challenges facing NG-CDF, particularly the recent court ruling that questioned the fund’s constitutionality. This ruling confirmed efforts to entrench the fund in the Constitution to prevent further judicial hurdles.
The new Kanyakwar Secondary is expected to significantly boost education access in the area, addressing the long-standing issue of limited secondary school options. It will provide local students with a much-needed, affordable learning institution, reducing the burden of traveling long distances to access secondary education.
Oron has initiated a similar project at Kisumu Union Primary School, which will host the town’s only girl’s day school.
By Fredrick Odiero
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