Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) commissioner Roselyne Akombe has raised concerns over what she described as deep leadership failures that continue to push Kenyan families into crisis, despite repeated public fund allocations meant to support education and healthcare.

In a statement shared on X on Thursday, January 29, 2026, Akombe reflected on her recent visits across the country, questioning why parents are still forced to rely on charity while billions of shillings are lost through state systems.

Speaking about her recent outreach work, Akombe explained that she spent days moving across several counties helping learners who had been sent home due to unpaid school fees, a situation she said reflects a wider breakdown in public support systems.

“The past 10 days have been heartbreaking and fulfilling in the same measure,” she wrote.

Akombe went on to describe the scope of her visits, noting that the experience brought both relief and frustration as she witnessed families struggling to keep children in school.

“I visited 8 Counties and delivered school fees and school supplies to needy students,” she wrote.

Learners staying at home

She said the immediate impact of the intervention was clear, with many learners finally able to return to class after staying at home for weeks.

“It was great that we were able to get students stuck at home to school,” Roselyne said.

However, Akombe warned that such acts of goodwill only scratch the surface of a much deeper problem, arguing that charity cannot replace functional leadership and accountable governance.

“But it is clear to me that charity will not resolve the systemic issues we face,” she said.

She illustrated this point by sharing a personal encounter with a parent whose struggles went beyond school fees, highlighting the heavy burden carried by many households.

“Hear me out. A parent approached me after we had covered the fees and school supplies for his JSS student. He thanked us & then told me that he has two more students stuck at home (one in university & one in high school), and a wife with a mental health illness,” she wrote.

Akombe questioned the logic of citizens being pushed into fundraising for basic medical care while public resources are allegedly misused, pointing directly to the Social Health Authority (SHA).

“Will cover the education costs, but what happens to his wife? Why would we need to step in with a harambee for medical care when billions of shillings are stolen through SHA?” she asked.

JSS transition headache

She also challenged the handling of the Junior Secondary School transition, noting that funding had already been secured through borrowing.

“Why are we having JSS transition issues when a loan was taken to cover these costs?” she asked.

Akombe concluded that Kenya’s problems cannot be fixed through private generosity alone, calling for honest reflection and change at the leadership level.

“We cannot solve leadership issues through private solutions,” she stated.

She urged Kenyans to face uncomfortable truths about governance and demand a reset.

“Let’s confront our reality and reset Kenya,” she stated.