Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro issued a stark warning to the Kenyan government, threatening a nationwide mobilization of parents if full school capitation funds for the 2026 academic year are not released promptly.
Nyoro asserts that the government’s failure to adequately finance education is undermining learning institutions and violating children’s constitutional right to free basic education.
Nyoro, a former Chairperson of the Budget and Appropriations Committee, criticized the government for what he termed insufficient disbursements, claiming that the funds released so far are barely enough to sustain schools for the current term.
“You have not funded schools in the year 2026. You’ve only sent money that can only run our schools for this term,” Nyoro stated on January 6.
He dismissed official government statements regarding adequate capitation as untrue, highlighting that only KSh 109 per student has been sent to cover operational costs for the entire term.
Nyoro outlined a two-phase strategy to address the crisis. Initially, he plans to raise awareness among stakeholders that government assurances on school funding do not reflect the reality on the ground.
He vowed to closely monitor the government’s actions throughout the term, specifically observing the timely release of actual funds, not just “stories”.
The MP’s ultimate warning is clear: “By the time we are going to mid-term, we expect the government to have sent the real money for this term; failure to which we are going to mobilise all the Kenyan parents to demand what is their right”.
He emphasized that parents, already heavily taxed, should not be forced to bear the cost of education due to government inaction.
This warning comes despite an announcement by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba on January 2, 2026, that KSh 44.2 billion had been disbursed for Term 1.
This amount was allocated across Free Primary Education (KSh 3.7 billion), Free Day Junior School Education (KSh 14.5 billion), and Free Day Secondary Education (KSh 26.1 billion).
Ogamba stressed that this funding complies with Article 53 of the Constitution, which guarantees free and compulsory basic education.
However, Nyoro insists these figures do not align with the reality experienced by schools.
