Kirinyaga County has signed the Inter-Governmental Partnership Agreement (IPA) with the Ministry of Education, allowing the resumption of bursary disbursements to students.
Disbursement of bursaries by county governments had been stopped last year by the Controller of Budget (CoB) over concerns that it contravened the constitution, which assigns universities, tertiary institutions, primary and secondary schools, and special education to the national government.
Speaking on Monday, November 17, Governor Anne Waiguru said the signing of the agreement will allow her administration to disburse Ksh126.5 million allocated for the 2025/2026 financial year.
"Understanding the challenge that was there in disbursing the bursaries in the financial year 2024/25, we have endeavored to solve that by signing the agreement and we expect the process of gazettement of the agreement to be finalized by the end of this month, ensuring funds are disbursed in time for school reopening," she said.
Waiguru added that once gazettement is completed, the county will continue managing the bursary program for students who have gone without support for a year.
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"Through the County Bursary Program, we have cumulatively disbursed Ksh540.7 million to needy students, a kitty that we improved from Ksh49.1 million in 2017/2018 to Ksh146 million in 2023/24," she added.
At the same time, Waiguru highlighted the county’s investment in Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) classrooms, which have been constructed and renovated to provide safe learning spaces.
She noted that enrollment in ECDE has increased from 13,280 learners in 2017 to 16,398 learners in 2025, with about 15,000 students receiving free school uniforms.
"The new facilities have been provided with furniture, water tanks and play equipment to enhance early learning," she further said.
Waiguru added that the absorption of teachers into the permanent and pensionable scheme has improved morale and service delivery at the centres.
"We have consistently replaced exiting ECDE teachers, equipped them with CBC-aligned teaching aids, and offered refresher courses, boosting classroom engagement and improving learner outcomes," she noted.
This comes barely a week after Waiguru said a deliberate policy shift toward inclusive and locally anchored development is driving the county to become a hub for rural enterprise and innovation.
Speaking during the State of the County Address (SOCA) at the Kirinyaga County Assembly on Tuesday, November 11, she said her administration has created an enabling environment for investment, unlocking growth across various sectors.
Waiguru said strategic infrastructure upgrades, streamlined licensing procedures, and targeted support for small and medium enterprises have made the county more attractive to investors.
"The rise of new rice mills, flour mills, fish hatcheries, ecotourism lodges, and value-addition hubs reflects not just economic expansion but a deliberate policy shift toward inclusive, locally anchored development," she said.
Waiguru said that over the last eight years, the Gross County Product has increased from Ksh114.9 billion in 2017 to Ksh190.79 billion in 2024, injecting significant liquidity into the local economy.
"Our economic growth rate now stands at 5.4%, surpassing the national average of 4.9%. Equally encouraging is the reduction in our poverty index, which has dropped from 23% to 21%, lifting approximately 52,000 households out of poverty. These gains of 33 affirm our commitment to inclusive development and a healthier, more prosperous Kirinyaga for all," she added.
In addition, Waiguru said her administration has recovered more than 800 acres of public land that had been illegally taken to support industrial investment in the county.
"The bold exercise aims at returning the lands to rightful community use for schools, hospitals, housing projects, and agricultural development. It’s a move that directly touches the lives of ordinary citizens, reaffirming that the county’s progress must serve the people, not private interests," she further said.
