Shamberere Technical Training College (TTC) students have held demonstrations over alleged corruption at the college.
The students, who lit bonfires and vandalized the administration block, claimed that the school management had failed to effectively run the technical department and were instead only concerned about co-curricular activities.
Speaking to the press the institution’s students association president Brian Shitanda accused the management of being corrupt where the outgoing principal Judith Akaranga, the procurement and finance department were colluding to siphon funds meant for operations as well awarding themselves tenders.
“The bursar has since been suspended after it was found out that he was receiving funds in an alternative account instead of the official one linked to the college, and the ongoing tender of building at the institution is linked to the principal whom it is said is the main beneficiary,” he said.
The student leader also accused the management of failing to kick start driving lessons at the institution despite the purchase of one lorry and two motorcycles for the same.
“It is also in our knowledge that one of the new motorcycles has been stolen with the person in charge still walking scot-free. We suspect that this was a deliberate move after we found out that it was purchased without an inventory note and no procurement papers. Our efforts to have these matters addressed have been futile,” Shitanda added.
The students further lamented that whenever they raise burning issues, they were ignored leading to the building up of animosity between the two parties.
When contacted, the Deputy Principal, Administration, Tom Makomere remained tight-lipped.
A source seeking anonymity said that the issues raised were genuine but accused the community of inciting students to tarnish the outgoing principal’s image.
“We are aware that some external forces are behind the woes bedeviling the school and want to paint the outgoing principal in bad light to create a soft landing to the incoming who is seen as a son of the soil unlike the former who is perceived as an outsider,” she said.
The incoming principal Elisha Nyamu from Bungoma Technical Training Institute (TTI) will arrive during the course of the week before Akaranga heads to Kongoni Technical Training Institute (TTI) in the same capacity.
By Andanje Wakhungu
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