Nairobi MCAs storm Sakaja's office over denied bursaries

A group of Nairobi Members of County Assembly (MCAs) on Tuesday, March 4, staged a protest at Governor Johnson Sakaja’s office, demanding an audience with him over what they termed as the unfair denial of bursaries.

The aggrieved MCAs also voiced concerns over delayed allowances and the lack of an adequate budget to facilitate the smooth running of Nairobi County Assembly operations.

"We need to speak to the governor. There is immense pressure in Nairobi County, and we are tired. We need a way out of these challenges," one MCA was heard shouting, as Governor Sakaja observed the commotion from a distance at City Hall.

The protest comes in the wake of legal uncertainty regarding the administration of bursaries and scholarships.

On January 17, Council of Governors (CoG) Chairperson Ahmed Abdullahi highlighted a legal gap in the legislation governing bursary allocations, stating that county governments lack a legal mandate to issue bursaries to students in post-primary institutions.

According to Abdullahi, the responsibility lies with the national government.

“If the Constitution intended to assign bursary administration exclusively to the National Government, it would have explicitly stated so. Therefore, the claim that bursaries are solely a National Government function lacks constitutional backing,” Abdullahi asserted.

Further complicating the matter, the High Court recently suspended a deal between the Controller of Budget and the Council of Governors, which had allowed county governments to continue issuing bursaries beyond their jurisdiction.

Justice Samuel Mohochi issued temporary orders preventing Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o from withdrawing or reversing a circular she issued on January 14, 2025, effectively putting a hold on county government bursary disbursements.