WHY SCHOOLS SHOULD NOT BE NAMED AFTER CORRUPT LEADERS

Ideally schools and other public amenities all over the world are named not only after prominent people but people who are morally upright.Men and women whose morals cannot be matched. Back home in Kenya things are done differently,schools and public amenities are named after corrupt people,crooks people with no iota of morality or integrity. If you look around name them;roads,schools,public parks,streets are named after local politicians both past and present.

The specific scenario am focusing on is that of Kasarani constituency,and its former Member of the national assembly.’Hon’.John Njoroge Chege.Kasarani Constituency is one of the 17 constituencies within Nairobi county with a population of about 780,656 according to 2019 Census.It has 5 wards namely Kasarani,Mwiki,Clay city ,Njiru and Ruai. Hon. John Njoroge Secondary School,a public day secondary school located in Mwiki Ward was constructed by National Government Constituency Development Fund(NGCDF).

Ironically the school is named after former Kasarani TNA MP John Njoroge.

It will be remembered that in July 2013,Kasarani MP John Njoroge became the first lawmaker in the 11th Parliament to be charged in a court of law over corruption allegations.

Mr.Chege was arraigned in an Anti-Corruption court in Milimani and denied three counts of soliciting a bribe.
Senior principal magistrate Doreen Mulekyo released the legislator on a Sh 1.5 million cash bail or Sh 3 million bond with a similar surety.

The MP was remanded for over two hours at the basement cells as he tried to raise the bond. The legislator was accused that on June 25,at the Continental House parking yard in Nairobi,he solicited Sh 100,000 from Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi as an inducement to facilitate payment of Sh 3.3 million for a completed Baba Dogo Secondary tuition block.

In October 2016,Justice Isaac Lenaola ruled that the graft charges against Mr.chege involve a large population and not an individual therefore the legislator must face the law required.
in his ruling,Justice Lenaola said,”The crimes complained about do not have an effect only on the complainant but on the entire Kenyan population as they consist of non-delivery of public services and a loss of public trust in the government’s structures,”

By the time of putting this piece down Mr. Chege has not been acquitted by any court.It is therefore improper for a corrupt politician with the statute of John Njoroge to be named after a public school built by taxpayer’s money.
The people of Kasarani should therefore petition the ministry of education to have Hon john Njoroge Chege Secondary School renamed.