Education CS summoned over bus fare crisis to National Music Festivals
Members of Parliament have summoned Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to appear before the House over claims that schools are struggling to raise bus fare for the ongoing National Music Festivals in Meru, despite parents paying activity fees.
The directive came from National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula following a heated session on Tuesday, in which several MPs interrupted proceedings to demand accountability from the Ministry of Education.
“Mr Speaker, students are converging in Meru for the Music Festival nationals. Schools are struggling with even bus fare. Where is the activity fee?” asked Emuhaya MP Omboko Milemba, who is also a senior official of the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet).
Funyula MP Wilberforce Oundo supported the concern, saying schools in his constituency had appealed to him directly for emergency transport assistance.
“This morning, a bus ferrying students to Meru had no fuel. This must stop,” Mr Oundo said.
Lunga Lunga MP Mangale Chiforomodo added that he had personally donated funds to help two(2) schools from his area make the journey.
“Parents contribute money, yet the same schools come to MPs for help,” Mr Chiforomodo said.
Deputy Majority Leader Owen Baya (Kilifi North) warned that some education officers were taking advantage of MPs by continuously pushing parents to fundraise, only for schools to seek top-up support from legislators.
“Thousands of students are in Meru. The same number was in Kakamega. MPs went through the same ordeal then,” he said.
Speaker Wetang’ula, who also revealed he had been approached by several schools, directed Mr Baya to ensure the Education CS appears before Parliament.
“You are the Majority Leader. You have the power to ask the minister to be here. I direct that you make it possible for Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to appear before this House on Wednesday at 3pm,” Speaker Wetang'ula said.
The 2025 Kenya National Music Festivals kicked off this week at Meru School and surrounding venues, attracting thousands of learners from primary, secondary, and teacher training institutions.
The festival, which runs until August 15, 2025, features solo and choral performances in genres such as African folk, gospel, spoken word, classical, and dramatized verse. Winners at the regional level qualified to perform at the national event.
Despite the festival’s prestige, many schools have reportedly been unable to secure transport or accommodation, forcing MPs and well-wishers to step in.
The summoning is expected to spark deeper scrutiny into how the Ministry handles activity fees, and why schools are still forced to turn to MPs for co-curricular support, even during national events.
