Image: Courtesy
In a popular video, a young woman by the name of Mercy Chebet Tarus is shown sternly lecturing a group of Uasin Gishu elders about issues pertaining to scholarships.
In a meeting called to discuss the future of students impacted by the ongoing Finland and Canada scholarships that have been rocked by financial mismanagement, Mercy confronted the aforementioned officials on August 8.
She refused to back down, pointing out that parents are now paying the price for what they thought was a fantastic county project.
She claimed in the popular video that they are currently depressed.
KOT was amazed by the gutsy woman and agreed with her.
Mercy is revealing details of who she is.
She graduated from Kabarak University.
Currently, she works as a hairdresser.
She also sells porridge to make ends meet.
Ms Tarus is a poet, with poems about mental health.
She has two other siblings.
Mercy says that she is in a serious relationship.
Early in infancy, she demonstrated the strength of her character by defending her younger brother, who frequently got into trouble at school.
Mercy participated in a street demonstration on Wednesday in Eldoret in support of Kenyans who paid for the aforementioned scholarships.
"I was trying to search for a better life, opportunities that are found there,"
She and others donated money for scholarships, but why?
"We were told that it would be easier for us to go to Canada and Finland if we used the county. We would not be asked for bank statements. They said they would provide us with a cover, and a blanket, and they would be like a mother to us. So that is why we trusted the county government and hurried to contribute the money,"
"They told us to hurry up as we were given two weeks to go and organize our financial affairs and bring the money," she told of the events leading to the scam.
Mercy stated that the county authority was trusted by the parents;
"But then when it reached time for accountability they decided they are now not going to be involved with this program,".
On the other hand, EACC is looking into how Sh837 million that parents raised to pay for their children's study abroad was used.
Kenyans were reassured by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) that the investigation into the Finland scholarship saga is still ongoing.
This is in response to some Kenyans asking on social media what the EACC was doing about the situation.
On Tuesday, EACC Director of Communications Eric Ngumbi informed the Star that the investigation into the case is nearing its conclusion.
"The EACC being fully aware of the immense public interest and need for expeditious justice in this matter, has prioritized the investigation that commenced in March 2023," Ngumbi said.
