From: George Nyongesa
Dear fellow Kenyans and the Press:
On June 20, 2011 at around 9am four activists ( Tom Oketch, Okoit Omtata, Sheikh Ahmed and George Nyongesa) stormed into Minister for Educations office on Jogoo House and staged a sit-in to demand Prof. Ongeri resigns or fired by President Mwai Kibaki to pave way for further investigation. This was occasioned by Treasury internal audit report that revealed that Free Primary Education Fund had lost Kshs. 4.6 Billion.
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Our demand does not mean that he is culpable but we hold it that he is the duty bearer and he has obligation to be accountable to the people of Kenya about their money. The same activists were among the 22 who were arrested on December 24, 2009 following a civic action to spotlight embezzlement of FPE money.
By close of business June 20 the activists had only heard from Permanent Secretary, Prof. James Ole Kiyiapi who defended himself saying he does not know who stole the money.
Yesterday, June 21, the activists returned to the Ministers office, subdued intimidation from anti riot police who demanded they leave and staged an overnight vigil at Jogoo House. As I write this statement the activists are still holding out at Jogoo House 2nd room 204. We are mobilizing more support from our networks this morning to join so as to make it business unusual at the ministry until something gives in.
The activists are determined to stay put at the Ministry of Education headquarters Jogoo House until the Minister resigns or is fired to pave way for further investigation. In the event he is found culpable, he should prosecuted and the money recovered.
We are also asking the British government not to demand their money back because the money gives relief to the poor families. Prof. Ongeri’s children do not go to public schools and will not be affected. The British government should use other means of holding Kenyan political leadership accountable on corruption.
With the new constitution, the new chief justice, increase demand for integrity among judges and magistrates, and the promise of total overhaul of judicial system; the ball is in the court of us citizens to make Kenya better a nation.
We must now make the concept of accountability a reality and inculcate the culture of taking responsibility into our public affairs. This is a song we sang as we whiled the night away at Jogoo House on June 21, 2011.
The following are the activists in the photos: Florence Kanyua, Francis Sakwa, Vincent Kidaha, John Koome, Gabriel Adigo, Japhet Moroko, John Abok, Gacheke Gachihi, Fredrick Odhiambo, Okoiti Omtata and George Nyongesa
Circulate this message to your networks.
George Nyongesa | National Coordinator, Bunge la Mwananchi | 0733 82 7859
subject Activists arrested for locking Ongeri’s office
In 2009 Kibaki already ordered probe for the FPE fund….(Free Primary Education Fund)… and Professor Ongeri admitted embezzling fund. His constituents ordered him to step down, his MP counterparts ordered him to vacate office, the public ordered him to vacate office……..President Kibaki ordered investigation has never been released to the public and President Kibaki has refused to remove Professor Ongeri from Public Office. Since then there has been calls from across the country and all over the world Ongeri has adamantly refused to vacate public office…….Civil Society Activists, took it upon themselves to lock Ongeri’s Office, and in reverse, President Kibaki sent his Police Officers to arrest the Civil Society Activists and locked them in prison.
We therefore demand that Prof. Ongeri and Kibaki step aside for the investigation to take its full circle to arrest all cultprits who were involved in the embezzlements of FPE fund.
It is four years now, poor children are not able to receive the funded education cost by the British Government. This is a serious crime and we cannot sit back and watch. Time has run out for President Kibaki and the United Nations Security Council with the rest of the world must step in to intervene and assist the poor and voiceless of Kenya.
Find time and watch the attached videos…….all evidence and proof are there to prove that Kibaki is not ready to sack Ongeri but defend him, while in using police as his shield, the poor continue to suffer the brutality and killings of the Kenya Police.
This should not be left to continue, and help must come handy to the poor and voiceless immediately.
Sincerely,
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
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Activists arrested for locking Ongeri’s office
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6meDnymK5_A
Uploaded by capitalfmkenya on Jun 22, 2011
Police have arrested 15 activists who had locked the office of Education Minister Sam Ongeri with a padlock and chain and camped there demanding that he quits office over the loss of Sh4.2 billion meant to fund learning in the country.Read more: http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news
Activists lock up Ongeris office
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbG50MzejhQ
Uploaded by NTVKenya on Jun 22, 2011
http://www.ntv.co.ke
Members of the civil society who have been staging a sit at the Ministry Of Education headquarters at Jogoo House, over the education funds scandal, have been arrested. The members, led by activist Okiya Omtatah were arrested this morning after locking the entrance to education Minister Prof. Sam Ongeri’s office with a chain and padlock.
Waititu vows to block building demolitions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlMbLkcAXdw&NR=1
Uploaded by capitalfmkenya on Jun 21, 2011
http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/news/index.php
Activists stage sit at Ongeri’s ofice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jsu37RRRrNE&feature=relmfu
Uploaded by NTVKenya on Jun 21, 2011
http://www.ntv.co.ke
We begin at Jogoo House, the headquarters of the Ministry Of Education where members of the civil society are staging a sit in at the offices of the Education Minister Professor Sam Ongeri demanding his immediate resignation over the education funds scandal. Led by activist Okiya Okoiti Omtata, the activists are vowing to spend days and nights at the embattled ministers offices until he quits office. The sit -in at the education ministry headquarters began on Monday. Ongeri is facing increased pressure to resign after the latest audit report by the Ministry Of Finance revealed that at least 4.2 billion shillings of free primary education funds was misappropriated
Anxiety grips Jogoo House
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7kKYxWSC9Q&feature=related
Uploaded by NTVKenya on Dec 17, 2009
http://www.ntv.co.ke
Anxiety has gripped the ministry of education headquarters as the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission moves with zeal to nab those involved in the theft of free school fund. In an indication that it was taking the case seriously following an order from the president, KACC canceled leave for all its employees and its promising to finalise investigations by January 2010. NTV has also learnt that as the anti corruption agency intensifies investigations into the fraud, there was an attempt to hide files from investigators. On Wednesday, president Mwai Kibaki vowed that no one would be allowed to get away with theft of money meant to help poor Kenyans. On Tuesday, the education minister Sam Ongeri held a press conference that appeared to leave more questions than answers. There have been growing calls for the minister and his permanent secretary to step down.
Govt. fails to tackle official corruption
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYFH0AgJnTw&feature=related
Uploaded by NTVKenya on Dec 17, 2009
http://www.ntv.co.ke In the face of outpouring revelations of corrupt few practices in government, an increasing low number of Kenyans are expressing confidence in the governments repeated promises to tackle graft. And as NTVs Yassin Juma reports, the skepticism is directly attributed to the trail of inaction that has over the years attended to the litany of scandals that date as far back as late eighties.
The Unga Revolution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZe5tX28cHk&feature=related
Uploaded by NTVKenya on May 31, 2011
http://www.ntv.co.ke
Amid the row over the budget, a section of civil society staged a protest in the capital over rising food prices. The group calling itself THE UNGA REVOLUTION is vowing to stage sit-ins at the offices of the President and the Prime Minister until the cost of living comes down. But as Irene Choge reports, police moved in this evening and dispersed the peaceful demonstrators.
Ongeri vows to stay on
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-thDC7I9I9M&feature=related
Uploaded by NTVKenya on Feb 5, 2010
http://www.ntv.co.ke
Embattled Education Minister Prof Sam Ongeri is vowing to stay on despite a recommendation from Prime Minister Raila Odinga that the minister and his permanent secretary Karega Mutahi steps down. In a swift reaction, Ongeri said he will not resign. NTVs Rose Wangui reports.
Education Minister Sam Ongeri admits diverting funds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx3RQLAbYOA&feature=relmfu
Uploaded by standardgroupkenya on Feb 13, 2010
Education Minister Sam Ongeri admitted that he misused the Education Funds, he was addressing the public in Kisii dialect
Kibaki Orders Probe On FPE Cash
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7H3F6W15BtA&feature=related
Uploaded by kenyacitizentv on Dec 16, 2009
More details continued to emerge over the disappearance of more than 100 million shillings in the education sector. It is emerging that senior ministry of education officials had crafted a clever system of draining the cash away from the government through phantom training workshops and using fake vouchers to claim the money. So far 29 officials are being investigated over the scandal that is threatening to derail the free primary and secondary education programs. Already the UK government has suspended 2 billion shillings meant for the education sector. President Mwai Kibaki has ordered the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission to investigate the matter and ensure the suspects are prosecuted.
How the FPE Funds were Lost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiSM7jTI7lk&feature=related
Uploaded by standardgroupkenya on Dec 17, 2009
President Kibaki has ordered stern and immediate action against those responsible for looting of free primary education programme funds. The president expressed distress over the misappropriation of funds intended for the programme, saying that the government will not allow anyone to compromise the highly successful program. This as the Kenya anti-corruption commission engaged forensic experts to probe the multi-million shillings scandal. The department for internal development, DFID, has since frozen 1.2 billion shillings of its donor funds to the ministry until the government gets its act together. KTNs Evelyn Wambui now looks at how close to 100 million could have been squandered and what the ministry is doing about it, if at all.