Kimani Ichung’wah says MPs will ensure adequate resources for free education
By Valerian Khakayi, July 27, 2025National Assembly majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah has affirmed Parliament’s commitment to supporting the government’s free education programme, saying Members of Parliament will ensure sufficient resources are allocated to make the policy sustainable.
In a statement shared via his official X account, Ichung’wah thanked President William Ruto for reaffirming his commitment to both free primary and secondary education, a cornerstone of Kenya’s efforts to ensure inclusive access to learning.
“Thank you, Your Excellency, for reaffirming your commitment to supporting both free primary and secondary education. We, as MPs, will play our part to ensure adequate resources are allocated so that every Kenyan child, irrespective of his/her social status, can access education,” he said.
His remarks come amid recent debate over the sustainability of the free education programme, especially following comments by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi, which sparked public concern before he clarified his position.
Ruto on free education
This comes after President William Ruto reassured Kenyans that free primary and secondary school education remains a constitutional right for all children in the country, following public uproar over proposals to scale back funding for the programme.
Speaking during a church service in Kariobangi on Sunday, July 27, 2025, the president emphasised that the government remains fully committed to ensuring universal access to education.
“Elimu ya watoto wetu ni ya muhimu sana; nataka nihakikishie Wakenya ya kwamba free primary education for primary and secondary ni haki ya kikatiba ya wananchi wa taifa la Kenya,” Ruto said.
Ruto stressed that education is the greatest form of empowerment any society can provide to its young people. He added that education must not only be affordable and accessible but also of good quality and relevant to the current needs of the country.
In addition, the head of state also highlighted the government’s continued investment in the construction and expansion of schools as part of its broader strategy to strengthen the education system and guarantee equal opportunities for all Kenyan children.
”In the last 2 years we have done a lot to make sure that education is truly universal and truly accessible because the commitment we have is that education is the greatest empowerment that any society can give to its young people, and that is why education must be affordable, must be accessible, must be of good quality, and must be relevant, and that is why we have invested in building schools.”
Free education budget
This comes after, in July 2025, John Mbadi told the National Assembly Education Committee that the government cannot fully fund free education, citing a strained budget due to competing priorities such as debt repayment.
He noted that secondary school capitation had been reduced from Ksh22,244 to Ksh16,900 per learner, leaving a funding gap of Ksh5,344 per student.