Migori county education stakeholders have come out to defend the Education Cabinet Secretary Professor George Magoha following pressure from Kenyans to sack him for insulting a local official in Uasin Gishu County.
The stakeholders from Nyanza region announced their firm stand with Magoha, asking President Uhuru Kenyatta not to fire him. The chairman of the National Parents Association Migori chapter Peter Odondi said the CS may be rough, but as a cabinet minister and administrator, he has delivered effective policies.
Mr Odondi stated that when Magoha joined the ministry, he made sure the Competency-Based-Curriculum was rolled out and books delivered to learning institutions.
“We are satisfied with his performance, he is a good performer but he should swallow his pride and apologise since one wrong can’t undo what he has done,” Odondi said.
His remarks were echoed by Migori Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) secretary Caleb Opondi who maintained that those calling for Magoha to be fired had gone to the extreme.
Professor Magoha successfully streamlined free education funds and included public administrators such as chiefs and their assistants to ensure 100 per cent transition.
“He managed to put in place transition, which is good despite most learning institutions lacking infrastructure, with dining halls turned into dormitories in extreme cases,” Opondi said.
He noted that Magoha needs to tone down on his rough style of leadership and stop insulting or intimidating his juniors, who may be senior education officials.
Magoha is under attack from the public as calls for his removal are rising for publicly calling a colleague an idiot. Several stakeholders including senators have asked the President to take action against Magoha for abusing the county Education chief in Uasin Gishu, Mr Gitonga Mbaka.
Magoha was visiting a primary school on November 6 and was disappointed with the hygiene and tidiness of the institution. He blamed Mbaka who tried to explain and even had written a report on the situation.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is still investigating Magoha’s public behaviour. Mr Mbaka recorded a three-hour statement on Wednesday in Eldoret.
Public Service Commission has already stripped of Magoha all human resource powers and transferred them to Education PS Belio Kipsang even as the unapologetic CS says he won’t relinquish any part of his docket unless the President orders him to do so.
