Editor's Review

"I stopped watching news because of these very depressing items that keep flashing to our faces."

Chief Justice Martha Koome has revealed that she no longer watches the news.

Speaking on Thursday, August 22, Koome said she stopped watching news due to depressing items that remind her of the inequality in society.

The Chief Justice gave an example of university students from poor backgrounds being placed in band 5 while others from rich families are placed in band 1.

“I stopped watching news because of these very depressing items that keep flashing to our faces to remind us how unequal and how unjust we are in a society.

“That a child who has qualified to go to the university can be there crying saying look, I have been put in band 5 when I ought to be in band 1 and therefore I cannot afford to go to the university. When you follow you find the child of a well-off family has been put in band 1,” Koome stated.

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File image of Chief Justice Martha Koome. 

CJ Koome called for the consolidation of bursary funds given to Governors, MPs, Women Reps, and MCAs.

She said the funds should be redirected to the Ministry of Education and education made free for all Kenyans.

“There is a bursary fund given from the taxpayer’s money given to the governor, women rep, MPs through CDF, and MCAs. All those bursaries how are they disbursed? Why wouldn’t you put them in educational and make it free for all,” Koome added.

The Chief Justice’s remarks come after many Kenyans complained about the bands in which first-year students were placed.

In the new university funding models students have been categorized into five bands based on family income. Band 1 is for families with a monthly income up to Sh5,995 while Band 2 covers families with a monthly income up to Sh23,670.

Band 3 is for families with a monthly income up to Sh70,000 and Band 4 is for families with a monthly income up to Sh120,000. Families with a monthly income above Sh120,000 have been categorized in band 5.