- Elders and clergy have asked affected parents and students to suspend planned street demonstrations.
- They have launched a two-month mediation initiative aimed at finding a lasting solution for victims.
- Parents maintain that their priority remains securing refunds for money paid into the overseas programme.
Parents and students affected by the collapsed Finland and Canada overseas education programme have been urged to suspend planned street protests in Eldoret as community elders and church leaders begin a fresh effort to seek justice for the victims.
Speaking in Eldoret City, a group of elders from the Kalenjin Council of Elders in Uasin Gishu County, alongside clergy, appealed to the affected families to allow dialogue to take its course instead of proceeding with demonstrations scheduled for Tuesday.
The leaders said they had launched a two-month mediation initiative aimed at finding a fair and lasting solution for all those affected by the failed overseas education programme.
The leaders acknowledged the pain and financial losses suffered by hundreds of parents who paid millions of shillings in the hope of securing university opportunities for their children in Finland and Canada, only for the programme to collapse before many students could travel.
Elders push for mediation
The intervention comes just days after a Nakuru court acquitted Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago and two other accused persons in a case linked to the controversial programme, a ruling that sparked renewed outrage among victims demanding refunds.
The elders said they would engage parents, students, political leaders and other stakeholders over the next two months in search of a solution that addresses the concerns of every affected family.
They expressed confidence that dialogue would provide a more constructive path than street protests.
Church leaders also appealed for peace, warning that demonstrations could disrupt businesses and daily activities in Eldoret.
They assured victims that their grievances had been heard and pledged to pursue justice through peaceful engagement with all relevant parties.
Parents maintain refund demands
Parents and students, however, continue to insist that the acquittal of the accused persons does not erase the financial losses they suffered.
Many have maintained that their priority remains securing refunds for the money paid into the overseas education programme after their children failed to secure the promised study opportunities.
Some victims have also continued pursuing compensation through the courts.
READ ALSO: Governor Bii turns to mediation in Uasin Gishu Finland education programme dispute
The Finland and Canada education programme remains one of Kenya’s most contentious education sagas, with hundreds of families still awaiting compensation years after investing heavily in the promise of overseas studies.
By Jeff Kirui
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