A Senate committee has challenged Bomet Governor Hillary Barchok for prioritising secondary school bursaries over feeding early childhood education (ECDE) learners, despite bursaries being a national government function.

The Education Committee had learned that Bomet County spends nearly Sh200 million annually on secondary school bursaries while allocating only Sh65 million for the school feeding programme.

Nominated Senator Margaret Kamar, the session’s chairperson, accused Barchok of abandoning devolved functions for political gain.

“You mean you are fine with absconding your duties by spending the millions on the milk programme but have money for bursaries just because of politics? This is dangerous,” said Kamar.

Senator James Murango (Kirinyaga) similarly questioned why the governor was handling national government responsibilities while neglecting devolved functions for young learners.

Meanwhile, it emerged that the so-called “school feeding programme” consisted only of a promised 200ml packet of milk twice weekly.

Even this limited provision failed, with Barchok admitting that milk was distributed for just five weeks during the first term before supplies stopped. Residents claimed that some schools did not get any milk for the whole term.

Senator Hillary Sigei (Bomet) noted: “This is not even a school feeding programme but a milk supply programme. Interesting enough is that learners received the milk only five times between January and March 2025.”

When questioned, Barchok cited budgetary constraints that prevented upfront payments to the supplier, New Kenya Cooperative Creameries, despite having budgeted for seven weeks of distribution.

The committee also uncovered that Barchok’s administration has been constructing ECDE classrooms on privately owned land, risking public funds. Sigei identified multiple facilities in Sibayan, Kisabei Simoti, Kapchemoino, and Kimugul built on private land.

“This case of Sibayan is even more than five years old. These are just a few, mainly from Sotik. There could be many more we don’t know about,” Sigei stated.

Nominated Senator Catherine Mumma added: “You are trying to legalise an illegality. You did not follow the law and for five years you have not regularised the same. You seem to have money for bursaries but not for land acquisition.”

Initially denying the allegations, Barchok later admitted that his administration is working to obtain proper documents for the land.