‘I Did The Right Thing!’ Mercy Tarus Maintains On Viral Confrontation Of Uasin Gishu Leaders
Mercy Tarus, the Kabarak University graduate currently in the limelight after a viral video of her confronting the Uasin Gishu County leadership over the Canada/Finland airlift scandal surfaced, has come out to defend her actions.
Citizen TV caught up with the 24-year-old fearless and unlikely hero while on her day-to-day activities of selling porridge in her village, days after she broke the internet for lecturing county government officials over the botched education scholarship program.
Following her sentiments, a section of Kenyans faulted the youngster, with some opining that she should apologize since the remarks may have shown disrespect to her elders.
The forthright Tarus however remains unapologetic, maintaining that she breathed a sigh of relief after expressing herself and calling out the leaders in a way that the society was shy to address.
According to her, politicians in the country have deemed themselves untouchable for too long and most people become tongue-tied when they go astray, hence only end up suffering in silence.
“I did the right thing because for far too long we put them in places and positions of power and then they forget about us for five years and no one holds them accountable because an employee of the county cannot hold them accountable, so it is important that I came out to say the truth, what was in my heart and I feel freed,” she said.
The 2021 graduate, who emphasises her passion for education and teaching, recalled how her family strained to raise over Ksh.1 million to send her abroad; money that has since vanished into thin air.
Just like the over 126 other young graduates who enrolled for the programme, she painfully narrated how her mother tirelessly hustled her way to pay the requested amount on time so that she could earn her place and pursue a Diploma in Social Service work abroad for a better future as promised by the leaders.
“We have spent more than a million shillings. My first instalment to Uasin Gishu Oversees Trust Fund account was in September last year where my mum paid Ksh.600,000. I went for medicals on December 7 for Ksh.36,000…on 14th February this year, I paid Ksh.300,000 which the county said was accommodation for 6 months. Later my mum paid Ksh.82,000 which they said was for Visa processing,” she stated.
Tarus, like many others who once had high hopes of flying to Finland for studies, now fends for herself by selling porridge and mandazi after her dream to study abroad was shattered.
“It has been quite hard to survive, I didn’t see myself selling porridge... kazi ni kazi but that is not what I envisioned after graduation. A cup of porridge goes for Ksh.20 and a mandazi at Ksh.5,” she said.
“I wanted to be a teacher, and wanted to study a Master in Environmental Engineering but the opportunity came for me to go abroad and study for a Diploma in Social Service work.”
She however remains hopeful that one day she may get the refund and an opportunity to further her studies. BY CAPITAL NEWS
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