Nakuru West MP, Samuel Arama, has found himself in hot water after a photo surfaced showing him subjecting a poor child to a shameful display following the awarding of a bursary.
The viral photo captured the MP standing alongside a distressed-looking secondary school boy in uniform, holding a placard that read, ”THANK YOU SO MUCH MHESHIMWA ARAMA FOR THE BURSARIES YOU GAVE US. MAY GOD BLESS YOU.”
The image sparked outrage among Kenyans, who questioned the lawmaker’s actions, especially in light of his recent controversies.
Here’s what some Kenyans had to say:
Martin Chege condemned the show of extravagance, stating, “Showoff! Subjecting the poor kid to shameful display. God doesn’t bless such showoffs.”
Betty Kilonzo expressed concern over the emotional impact on the child, saying, “Subjecting kids to shame is a new low. The kid looks despondent, poor lad.”
Mista Scents highlighted the broader issues, commenting, “Our leaders have bigger problems.”
Martin Wangwe raised questions about the source of the bursary funds, stating, “This guy should be stopped, and parents should understand that the CDF is public resources, not from an MP’s pocket.”
Isaac Kimaru called for accountability, suggesting legal action against the MP for child abuse, and expressing frustration with the misuse of public funds.
This is not the first time Arama has found himself embroiled in controversies.
On Thursday, February 1, 2024, Arama addressed parents who had gathered in large numbers outside his office to obtain bursary forms.
In a video, the legislator arrived at his office to find a queue stretching from the parking area to the road. Arama expressed dismay at the residents’ decision to queue for hours despite the bursary exercise running until the end of February.
“These forms are available from today until the end of February. Why are you coming to my office in crowds?” he questioned.
Furthermore, Arama accused the parents of idling, attributing it to joblessness that had led to the high number of parents seeking bursary forms.
“You have started to become idle. It seems like you have nothing to do. Coming to line up every day. You’ve started acting foolish,” he added, emphasizing that the forms would be distributed daily but with a limited quota.