- Bomachoge Borabu residents have appealed to CS Ogamba to intervene at Kenyenya SDA Mixed Secondary School over stalled development.
- The community has accused past leadership and the current Board of Management of mismanagement and neglect that have left the school lagging behind newer institutions.
- Residents have called on the Ministry of Education to rename the school after former MP Joel Onyancha to help revive its standing.
Residents of Bomachoge Borabu Constituency have appealed to Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to intervene at Kenyenya SDA Mixed Secondary School, urging him to advise the community on the best way forward to improve the institution’s education and infrastructure standards in line with its urban setting.
The residents said the school, situated within the Kenyenya Sub-County headquarters alongside other social amenities such as a stadium, health centre and police station, has lagged in development for a long time due to what they described as carefree leadership that has failed to set proper strategies for the institution’s growth.
They recalled that former Bomachoge Borabu MP Joel Onyancha, an alumnus of the school, had attempted to spearhead its development by bringing then-Deputy President William Ruto to fundraise for the construction of a boys’ dormitory. However, the residents said the plans stalled following Onyancha’s sudden death.
The residents claimed that his successor, Prof. Zadoc Ogutu, halted the ongoing construction of the dormitory and dining hall for political reasons, redirecting funding instead towards new classrooms at the neighbouring Kenyenya Primary School. They alleged that when Ogutu was later voted out by current MP Obadiah Barongo, the school continued to receive minimal development support.
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The residents also raised concerns over the leadership of the school’s Board of Management, citing what they termed as incompetence under the chairmanship of a local pastor.
“The pastor, who has questionable academic papers, should concentrate on church matters and leave the school alone,” said Lenah Nyaboke, one of the residents.
They further alleged that a female board member, a retired education officer, had used her position to influence the board improperly, and accused her of collaborating with a former school principal in mismanaging the institution’s finances. The residents called on the Kisii County Director of Education to investigate the Board’s conduct.
According to sources, the school, established in 1978, has continued to lag despite the growth of newer, junior institutions in the area.
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A visit to the school revealed a stalled dining hall construction, a makeshift structure made of corrugated iron serving as the girls’ dormitory near the roadside, and a compound in poor condition with only a few students present at the time. The Deputy Principal declined to comment on the matter, requesting that the visit be rescheduled for when the Principal would be available.
The residents have appealed to the Ministry of Education to consider renaming the school after the late MP Joel Onyancha, saying such a move could help shift public perception and revive the institution’s fortunes.
By Enock Okong’o
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