Kimilili Member of Parliament (MP) Didmus Barasa is doubling down on education as the constituency’s signature agenda, unveiling a set of infrastructure, transport, and welfare pledges after Kimilili emerged as the top-performing sub-county in Bungoma County.
Speaking after a consultative forum with head teachers, the MP said the constituency will establish two state-of-the-art Junior Secondary School centres in every ward to address the transition gaps created by the Competency Based Curriculum. To improve access, he also announced the rollout of one school bus per ward, a move he said will cut the long walking distances that keep some learners out of class.
Barasa linked the new commitments directly to performance, congratulating school heads for “emerging Number One in Bungoma County” and framing the interventions as both a reward and an investment to sustain the lead. As part of the motivation package, he promised a five-day Mombasa holiday for head teachers in recognition of excellence. For sustained results at the primary level, he resolved to charter a flight for staff of Kimilili FYM Primary School to Diani in January, citing their five-year run as the best public primary school in the constituency.
ALSO READ;
CBE shift puts principals under pressure as schools face readiness challenges
Beyond infrastructure, Barasa has made targeted fee interventions. He fully cleared term two fees for Mary Nafula, a Form Two student at Moi Girls Kamusinga who was dropped from the county scholarship list, and pledged to construct a decent house for her family. The MP has also directed Kimilili MCAs to compile names of needy students overlooked by the Bungoma County scholarship programme, saying his bursary kitty would accommodate them. At one point he announced a temporary halt to multi-storey classroom projects so NG-CDF funds could be redirected to pay school fees, with construction to resume after the next disbursement.
Classroom delivery has been a recurring feature of his tenure. In June 2019, Barasa commissioned six new classrooms at Daraja Mungu Primary School built through the Constituency Development Fund, arriving for the event in patched shorts, an oversized white shirt, tie and bare feet. He said the dress code was meant to “inspire” pupils from humble backgrounds and serve as a reminder of his own beginnings. He has also been photographed helping rebuild Kibingei FYM Primary School after its roof was blown off by wind, underscoring a hands-on approach to school emergencies.
Teachers revolt over SHA Cover as Outpatient limits trigger outrage
The MP is attempting to tie local engagement to national policy. Barasa said he has been tapping into head teachers’ expertise to strengthen his Bill seeking to recompose the Teachers Service Commission, with the goal of adding direct representation for parents, KEPSHA, KESSHA, KNUT, and KUPPET to the commission. On the administration side, he has publicised the construction of a Huduma Centre in Kimilili, set for commissioning by President Ruto, alongside upcoming affordable housing and government hostels meant to serve students in the constituency.
Supporters point to recent KCSE performances by schools such as Friends School Kamusinga and St. Luke’s Boys as evidence that the constituency’s education ecosystem is improving. Critics have in the past described some of Barasa’s public gestures as theatrics, but the MP maintains that visibility and empathy matter in motivating learners who walk to school on empty stomachs and without shoes.
With exams cycles approaching and JSS domiciliation still evolving, Barasa says the ward-based JSS centres and school buses are designed to reduce transition bottlenecks and keep Kimilili at the top of Bungoma’s league table. Whether the pledges translate into sustained outcomes will depend on disbursement timelines, project execution, and coordination with county bursary programmes. For now, the message from Kimilili’s leadership is clear: classrooms, transport, and teacher morale are the constituency’s priority list.
By Kimtai Cherongis
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
