This archive report was first published on 25 September 2019.
September 25, 2019, marked three years since Henry Litu took over as the leader of Kakamega Friends School, a institution that was on the brink of collapse due to mismanagement. Litu succeeded George Lukibia, who was transferred to Chekalini Secondary School in Lugari sub-county.
Under Litu's leadership, the school has been plagued by claims of mismanagement, which appear to be an organized cartel within the board of governors, led by Amos Chilai as the chair, and the area education office.
Questions have been raised about Chilai's inclusion on the board, as his name was not among the nominees. It is alleged that he was brought in through the influence of the then-sub-county education officer, Anne Shihundu, who has since been transferred and replaced by Isaac Kipraisi.
Chilai had previously served the institution for three years, during which time the selection panel believed he had supervised scandals, including the signing of blank cheques and the payment of money to specific suppliers.
Recently, the board of management sacked the school's accounts clerk after he attempted to expose the ill happenings at the institution, which is being looted to the core. The beneficiaries of the loot are reportedly on the board of management, setting up businesses in the area to ruin the institution.
A source within the school board revealed that board members were getting tenders through proxy, some of which were not advertised but shared within the office of the principal. The source also alleged that money was being transferred to individual bank accounts, claiming it was to pay Kenya Power electricity bills.
However, the law dictates that any tender above Sh50,000 should be advertised, which has not been the case at the school. Relatives and close friends of board members are allegedly the key beneficiaries of multimillion-shilling tenders, after parting with huge kickbacks or allowing their companies to be used to camouflage themselves.
Stakeholders are calling for a forensic audit to be carried out, as well as the immediate resignation of the board chair and the transfer of the school principal. They also demand that the audit report for the past three years be tabled, as it is believed that there were issues that arose that the county and sub-county offices were hiding after allegedly pocketing huge bribes.
