Education CS nominee Julius Ogamba says he is worth Sh790 million.
He made the revelation when appearing before the National Assembly’s Appointment Committee during his vetting at Town Hall, Nairobi, on Thursday.
“How much is your net worth?” Chair of the committee Speaker Moses Wetang’ula asked.
“I’m worth Sh790 million made of largely land, I have got tea, trees vehicles, farm equipment and of course the income from the law firm,” he said.
Ogamba is former Education CS Ezekiel Machogu's running mate in the 2022 Kisii gubernatorial race.
Machogu and Ogamba vied on a UDA party ticket but lost to the current Governor Simba Arati.
Ogamba, a lawyer by profession, also ran for the Kitutu Chache North parliamentary seat in the 2017 election.
Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wah sought to know whether he would be his own man in the ministry if approved or if he would be an appendage of the former CS.
“Kenyans are asking ‘is this the right person for the job?’” the Kikuyu MP said.
Ogamba did not, however, answer that question but rather responded to the consecutive question saying he has the courage to deliver on his mandate if approved.
Ichung’wah had sought to know how he would raise funds to ensure sufficient classrooms are constructed to accommodate Grade 9 learners in primary schools.
“If you have 16,000 classroom shortages, on average a classroom will take Sh800,000 to a million shillings if done by CDF. If done by the ministry on average it takes about Sh2 million. Are you telling us within the next five or six months before January to be able to accommodate Grade 9 in primary schools and be in a position to raise almost Sh32 billion for the building of classrooms?
“My direct question is. Do you have the courage to change that which is not working in the Ministry of Education?”
Ogamba said it’s not out of the question that he will have to find a solution where there are problems, and that includes ensuring Grade 9s are in class as required by hook and crook.
“My position was a philosophical position that domiciling it in primary school made sense. But if we find that that philosophical position is not practical while we are in a position with the facts and factors that will be provided at that point, then we have to make a decision because the children must learn.
“What I can say here is that I’m ready to take the decision that is in the best interest of the children and I have the courage to do so,” he said.
