Wamumbi announces free day secondary education in Mathira

By Newsflash Writer

Days after Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro announced a sharp reduction in day secondary school fees in his constituency, Mathira MP Eric Wamumbi has raised the stakes by declaring free day secondary education for learners in Mathira.

Announcing the move on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, Wamumbi, who is a close ally of President William Ruto, said the decision was part of a broader plan to revive the constituency’s academic standing.

“Bringing back the glory, Mathira ma Gīthomo (Mathira as an area of academic excellence),” he said, framing the initiative as an investment in education rather than a political statement.

However, details around the program remain scanty, with questions lingering over whether meal costs for day scholars have also been waived or if parents and guardians will still shoulder that burden.

Nyoro’s Masomo Bora bueprint

Wamumbi’s announcement comes hot on the heels of the Kiharu Masomo Bora Program unveiled by Nyoro, under which fees for day secondary school learners have been slashed by half—from Sh1,000 to Sh500 per term—effective immediately from the first term of 2026.

The initiative targets more than 12,000 learners across all 65 public day secondary schools in Kiharu, covering Grade 10, Form Three and Form Four students.

Nyoro said the decision was informed by the rising cost of living and the need to keep learners in school at a critical stage of their education.

Under the new arrangement, no learner will pay more than Sh500 per term, with schools barred from imposing additional levies, registration fees or any hidden charges. Remedial programmes, often blamed for escalating school costs, have also been capped at Sh1,000 per term.

“Education support must be fair, predictable and inclusive,” Nyoro said, noting that the programme applies to all learners enrolled in public day secondary schools within Kiharu, regardless of their place of origin.

Critics dismiss move

Beyond fee reduction, the Masomo Bora Programme places strong emphasis on student welfare. All learners will receive lunch every school day, including Saturdays, with githeri served three days a week, rice on the remaining three days, and uji during tea breaks. Chapati will be served for lunch on the last Friday of every month.

To bolster academic performance, Kiharu NG-CDF has allocated an additional Sh10 million this financial year for revision materials, on top of Sh20 million invested in previous years.

Infrastructure development is also a priority, with more than Sh50 million earmarked for new facilities, particularly science laboratories.

Students joining Grade 10 in 20 low-enrolment and newly established schools will also receive free uniforms to boost transition and retention rates.

Meanwhile, Wamumbi’s free education pledge has attracted political scrutiny, with critics suggesting it is geared toward bolstering his re-election bid in 2027, especially given his vocal criticism of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, a Mathira native.

Wamumbi has dismissed the claims, insisting his focus is service delivery. “I am at work,” he said, adding that his mission is to serve constituents, whether or not it translates into re-election.