Bonchari Constituency Member of Parliament Charles Onchoke is under pressure from local leaders and residents over claims of discrimination in the awarding of bursaries and mismanagement of development projects funded through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
Speaking at Suneka trading centre, leaders accused Onchoke of working with close allies to unfairly distribute bursaries, leaving out several deserving students while others who do not meet the criteria continue to benefit. They further alleged that some learners enrolled in schools within Bonchari have not received any support at all.
Residents are now demanding that the MP convene a public forum to review the bursary allocation process and ensure needy students benefit fairly, easing the financial burden on parents struggling to keep their children in school.
The MP has also been criticized for failing to prioritize development projects approved by the constituency assembly, particularly those aimed at creating employment opportunities for locals. Leaders questioned why contractors and workers from outside Bonchari continue to secure jobs and contracts funded by constituency resources.
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Former Bonchari MP Pavel Oimeke joined the wave of criticism, describing the current policy that allegedly denies bursaries to students studying outside the constituency as retrogressive and a driver of poverty.
“Our children are the future leaders of this country. Denying them bursaries because they are schooling outside Bonchari is unfair and should be scrapped,” Oimeke said.
Oimeke further alleged that bursary allocations are skewed in favour of political supporters, calling for unity and reminding the MP that once elected, he becomes a leader for all residents regardless of political affiliation.
Oimeke proposed that college students receive at least KSh 10,000, while university students get a minimum of KSh 15,000, noting that the KSh 68 million CDF allocation is sufficient to support needy learners.
He also questioned why contracts and employment opportunities funded by constituency resources are awarded to outsiders, urging equitable distribution of jobs and the hiring of Bonchari residents in CDF and constituency offices. “We are not tribal. We only want Bonchari residents to benefit from their taxes,” he said, adding that residents want to restore pride and unity among the Abanchari community.
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Oimeke voiced support for the government’s education transition policy, which encourages learners to proceed to Grade 10, but warned that the initiative would fail if bursaries are not provided to support students from poor backgrounds. He described Bonchari as one of the poorest constituencies in Kisii County, underscoring the need for continued bursary support.
Similar sentiments were echoed by Paul Mogire and Elina Morang’a, who noted that residents have consistently complained about bursary issuance.
They suggested that the MP may be unaware of what is happening at the constituency office and urged him to personally oversee operations instead of leaving the work to junior officers.
By Elizabeth Angira
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