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Murang’a and Mandera counties have made history by becoming the first devolved units to officially take over the administration of student bursaries, following the signing of an Intergovernmental Partnership Agreement (IPA) with the Ministry of Education.
The agreement, signed at Jogoo House in Nairobi, transfers the bursaries function from the national government to the two counties, unlocking billions of shillings that had been frozen after the Controller of Budget halted disbursements. The Controller had previously argued that bursaries were a national function and should not be handled by county governments.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba hailed the milestone as a significant step toward functional devolution and improved service delivery to learners in need. “This agreement reflects our commitment to strengthen intergovernmental relations and ensure that no child is left behind due to financial constraints,” said CS Ogamba.
Murang’a Governor Dr. Irungu Kang’ata welcomed the development and confirmed that the county would withdraw a contempt of court case filed against Controller of Budget Dr. Agnes Nyakango over the bursary stalemate. “This partnership ends a long-standing impasse and will now enable us to directly support students in our county without legal uncertainty,” said Governor Kang’ata.
Mandera Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif also praised the breakthrough, stating that the move will enhance efficiency and accountability in bursary distribution across the region.
The agreement sets a precedent for other counties seeking similar arrangements and marks a turning point in the evolving relationship between national and county governments in the education sector.
