Kisii Central Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA) Wilfred Monyenye has warned that students whose parents are not registered voters in the ward may be excluded from the ongoing county education bursary programme.
Speaking at a public forum in Kisii town, Monyenye said the bursary fund is intended for residents who demonstrate commitment to the ward by registering locally as voters.
He defended the directive, saying it aligns with guidance from Kisii County Governor Simba Arati, who has reportedly asked MCAs across the county’s 45 wards to apply a similar approach.
“We are following what the governor has told us to ensure fairness in the distribution of resources across the county,” Monyenye said.
The MCA noted that Kisii Central Ward received Ksh7 million for bursaries this cycle. His office processed 1,046 applications, some of which were rejected because the applicants’ parents are not registered voters in the ward.
He added that Ksh1.8 million remains, earmarked for Grade 9 and 10 students. Parents were urged to follow up with his office to resolve any anomalies that may have affected their applications.
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The directive has drawn mixed reactions. Some parents support the move, arguing it promotes accountability and local participation, while others have criticised it as discriminatory.
The bursary programme, funded through the Ward Development Fund, targets needy students in secondary schools, colleges and universities residing in Kisii Central Ward.
Monyenye said voter registration data is often used during budgeting to justify resource allocation among wards. Areas with higher numbers of registered voters tend to carry more political weight, giving their representatives stronger grounds to lobby for funding.
He argued that when residents register elsewhere but seek services in Kisii Central, it creates a mismatch between planning data and actual demand.
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County planners, he added, also rely on voter data from the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) as one indicator of population distribution when allocating projects such as ECDE classrooms, health facilities and water services.
However, legal experts warn that tying bursary eligibility strictly to voter registration could face constitutional challenges. Article 38 guarantees every Kenyan the right to register as a voter in any part of the country, while most county bursary guidelines prioritise financial need and residency—not voting location.
Critics argue that using voter registration as the sole proof of residency could exclude legitimate residents who vote elsewhere due to work or other reasons. Such policies, they note, could be challenged before the courts or bodies such as the Commission on Administrative Justice.
The IEBC allows voters to transfer polling stations at no cost during continuous registration periods. Residents seeking to align their voter records with their place of residence can apply for transfers at IEBC offices using a national ID.
For parents in Kisii Central, the directive highlights a broader tension in devolved governance: the influence of political data on resource allocation versus the constitutional principle of equitable access to education support based on need and residency.
By Enock Okong’o
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