Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago has been apprehended after a warrant for his arrest was issued, subsequent to his failure to appear in court for plea-taking.

The senator was taken into custody at his residence and transported to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) regional office in Nakuru, according to official sources.

Senator Mandago's arrest revolves around his alleged involvement in the Finland and Canada Overseas Education Programme, which has been entangled in a web of scandal and controversy.

He is one of three county officials under scrutiny in connection to this ill-fated program.

On Wednesday, a Nakuru court sanctioned the arrest warrant for Senator Mandago, demanding his presence to answer an array of charges before the court.

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The remaining individuals implicated in this affair include Joseph Kipkemoi Maritim, Meshak Rono, and Joshua Kipkemoi Lelei.

The accusations against Senator Mandago and his co-defendants stem from the purported orchestration of a scheme to embezzle Sh1.1 billion from a Kenya Commercial Bank account linked to the Uasin Gishu Education Trust Fund.



This fund was initially allocated to support the overseas university fees of students enlisted in the Uasin Gishu County Overseas Education Program.

The controversy surrounding the collapsed Finland and Canada scholarship initiative has ignited outrage and widespread protests within Uasin Gishu.

Graduates affected by this debacle, alongside their parents, have rallied on the streets to demand reimbursements from the county government, exacerbating the already strained situation.

Senator Mandago has already cooperated with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), providing a statement to aid in their ongoing investigation.

Moreover, he has faced interrogation by detectives from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in relation to his role during the program's establishment, which transpired during his gubernatorial tenure.

In a related development, President William Ruto made a stern statement on Wednesday, calling upon those purportedly involved in the misappropriation of funds meant for the overseas education program to promptly return the embezzled money.

President Ruto expressed his dismay over the scandal and vowed to prevent such incidents from occurring again.

Addressing the issue during a visit to Eldoret town, President Ruto underscored the magnitude of the situation, highlighting that the misallocation of funds intended for the education of Uasin Gishu's youth was both disgraceful and unacceptable.

He unequivocally stated that those implicated in the scandal must bear the consequences of their actions.

The arrest of Senator Mandago and the ensuing investigation are expected to cast a shadow over the political landscape in Uasin Gishu, as citizens and stakeholders anxiously await the unfolding of events in this tumultuous saga.