Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii mourns Kenyan student who died in Finland
The demise of a Kenyan student from Uasin Gishu County who was studying in Finland has left more questions than answers.
It was not immediately clear how the Kenyan student died while studying at Finish University with reports suggesting he might have ended his life.
On Thursday, Uasin Gishu county governor Jonathan Bii confirmed the death of the student on his social media platforms.
“It is with utter shock that I have learnt of the sudden passing on of Rodgers Kipruto, a bright young man from Tarakwa Ward, Kesses Sub County,” said the governor.
He said that the deceased had left Kenya in September 2022 to pursue his nursing studies at Laurea University’s Tikkurila Campus in Finland through the County Overseas Program.
“The passing of Kipruto is a great loss to his family, friends, the Chirchir community, and the nursing profession. His ambition and unwavering commitment to making a positive difference in society are testaments to his character,” stated the governor.
The Uasin Gishu County-Finland program was under public scrutiny for the last two months after some Finish universities had threatened to deport the students over non-payment of fees.
All 202 students from the county who are in three Finland universities — Tampere, Jvaskyla, and Laurea — are facing deportation over non-payment of fees.
The students were airlifted to Finland under the Uasin Gishu Overseas Education programme during the reign of former Governor Jackson Mandago. Under the arrangement, parents were to pay school fees through a trust account, with the county government acting as a guarantor.
It later emerged that some county officials had embezzled the funds, exposing the learners to discontinuation of studies and deportation.
An ad-hoc committee of the county assembly formed in February to investigate the scam recommended investigations into the management of the overseas education account for forgery, abuse of office, and lack of integrity
However, on March 15, Deputy Governor John Barorot, who also chairs the task force looking into the Finland-Uasin Gishu county programme, assured parents and members of the public that the county administration has negotiated with three universities to ensure smooth learning.
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