The High Court in Nakuru has acquitted Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago of conspiracy charges linked to the alleged misappropriation of funds under the county’s overseas scholarship programme, closing a case that has dragged through the courts for more than six years.
Delivering the ruling on Thursday, the presiding judge found that the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence to meet the legal threshold required for a conviction, resulting in Mandago’s acquittal.
Mandago was serving as Uasin Gishu Governor when the scholarship programme was launched to help county students pursue higher education abroad, mainly in Finland and Canada. He was charged alongside other former county officials over allegations of conspiracy to commit theft, abuse of office and making false representations in the running of the programme.
Beneficiaries of the programme were required to contribute up to Ksh1 million each into a designated trust account to secure admission and cover related costs. The scheme came under scrutiny in September 2021 after students and parents complained of poor communication from county officials, with some beneficiaries in Finland reportedly facing eviction after tuition and accommodation costs went unpaid. When affected families sought answers, they were told the scholarship fund had been exhausted.
A subsequent investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission established that parents had contributed roughly Ksh957 million to the programme. Of that amount, investigators found that about Ksh257 million had gone toward tuition and other student expenses, while the remaining Ksh700 million was allegedly misappropriated.
The findings triggered protests from affected families, leading to the arrest of Mandago and two former county officials in August 2023 on charges connected to the management of the funds. After years of proceedings, the court concluded that the prosecution had failed to prove its case against the senator to the required criminal standard.
The ruling brings closure to a case that has remained under close public watch, particularly among students and parents in Uasin Gishu County who were directly affected by the collapse of the scholarship scheme. While Mandago has now been cleared of criminal liability, questions over the fate of the missing Ksh700 million remain unresolved for many of the families who contributed to the programme.
