A senior Uasin Gishu county official linked to the Finland education scam has fled from the country together with his family.
Reliable sources indicate that about three weeks ago, he went to a neighbouring country and boarded a flight to Europe while his wife and child left through JKIA.
The man was among three county officials who were suspended three months ago due to the scam in which parents lost more than Sh300 million that was paid for the Finland overseas education programme.
The man was a signatory to the bank account where parents deposited money.
Despite the ongoing probe by the DCI and EACC, travel documents including passports have not been confiscated from those linked to the scam.
Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago along with five other county officials are expected at the DCI headquarters in Nairobi Wednesday to be grilled over the scam.
"I am ready to record statements with relevant authorities over this matter if required to do so," said Mandago.
This comes even after Mandago and Governor Jonathan Bii along with other county leaders met in Eldoret last weekend to discuss how to resolve the issues around the scam.
More than 200 affected parents have already recorded their statements with the DCI last week demanding a refund of the money they paid to the county.
The parents led by Edward Kiptek said they had each paid more than 1 million shillings to the county for their children to study in Finland but they missed out on the programme.
"We have told the DCI that we need the money back because we are no longer interested in the Finland programme," said Kiptek.
The angry parents had three weeks ago stormed Governor Bii's office demanding a refund.
Bii came out and explained that he knew nothing about the programme that had been started by Mandago.
"Everyone should carry their own cross and parents who are complaining should also look for Mandago because he is the one who started the programme," said Bii.
He explained that the programme was run by a private trust in whose account the parents deposited the money.
The account had only Sh1.8 million balance and a deficit of Sh84 million according to Bii.
However, in response, Mandago explained that he handed over the programme to Bii's administration with more than Sh104 million in the accounts for the programme.
Mandago admitted that he initiated the programme and still believed it is a noble initiative to help local youth get opportunities abroad.
When Mandago and Bii met last weekend, they did not issue a statement of what they agreed but sources said they resolved to meet affected parents and then issue a statement at the end of this week.
Some of the affected parents have threatened to strip naked and cause embarrassment at the devolution conference to be held in Eldoret from August 15th to 19th.
President William Ruto is scheduled to attend. The parents have insisted that there will be no devolution conference unless they are refunded.
Authorities are making efforts to forestall the embarrassment.
