Raila: Pay teachers with laptop cash

Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Sunday told the Government to pay teachers using funds earmarked for the laptop project.

Speaking at Cord’s governors and senators’ retreat at Serena Beach Hotel in Mombasa, Mr Odinga criticised the Jubilee government for being insensitive to the learners’ plight and constitutional rights.

“What is the urgency or hurry of giving Standard One pupils laptops when the logistics are not favourable for this?” he asked.

Revisiting the Cord campaign manifesto, Mr Odinga said they had set up a well-documented programme for introducing information communication technology in schools in phases.

The first phase, the former PM said, was to set up computer laboratories, then train teachers in a crash programme before introducing ICT in public schools.

“You see, you cannot give Standard One pupils laptops when their security is not guaranteed. If you are serious about ICT, put logistics in place, then train teachers, a majority of who are not computer literate,” he said.

To translate the Cord manifesto, Mr Odinga urged the governors and senators not to compete, but to work as partners in realising the promises and pledges they made to the people.

“As a coalition we want to initiate changes to the Constitution to bring the education sector under the county governments,” he said, adding that Cord senators and MPs should be “bipartisan” when dealing with national issues.

Warning that non-performing governors might be a burden to the coalition in 2017, the ODM boss said it was time the county leaders used public cash well lest it was used as campaign tool in the 2017 elections.

“When we hear a governor spending millions of shillings on entertainment, we get worried as Cord leadership. What the people want is service delivery.”

The former PM criticised the government for trying to “kill” devolution through the use of county commissioners, district officers and chiefs.

Former Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka said if the 24 Cord governors delivered to the people it would be a boost in the 2017 campaigns.

Mr Musyoka challenged Coast governors and senators to work together to rid the region of the Mombasa Republican Council influence.

Bungoma senator Moses Wetang’ula said they planned to introduce a motion in the Senate to look at Schedule Four and see how to transfer responsibilities from the national government to the county governments.