Olekina breaks silence after Mercy Tarus declines his job offer

 

Narok Senator Ledama Olekina has responded to media sensation Mercy Tarus' decision to decline a job he extended to her.

Senator Ledama expressed his respect for Tarus' decision, clarifying the distinction between expressing interest in working with her and formally offering a job.

In a statement on X, Senator Ledama explained his position, acknowledging the difference between 'liking to work with someone and extending an official job offer'.

"If indeed the response was from Mercy Tarus, she has a right to respond that way, and I respect her sentiments," he tweeted.

"Liking and offering have two different meanings … I like her boldness and candid nature and that can rub positively on other staff. Now when it comes to offering, that would come second with specific terms or an invitation to work on a specific paid role," he elaborated.

This came in the wake of Olekina publicly expressing his interest in working with the straight-firing Tarus in the aftermath of the Uasin Gishu scholarship fiasco.

"Mercy Tarus, I would like you to work for me… speak your heart …the future belongs to candid youth! Let’s talk," he had posted on X

However, in response to the senator's job offer, the media sensation declined.

"Mr. Ledama, before we can further this conversation, talk to your fellow Senators to bring the Uasin Gishu County Government to book and compel them to refund rightfully hard-earned money to the citizens of Kenya. Maybe then, we can talk. Otherwise, I have nothing more to say," she stated boldly.

The Uasin Gishu scholarship controversy has garnered significant attention, with Mercy Tarus at the centre of the storm.

Her bold stance and refusal of the job offer have added a new dimension to the ongoing narrative, highlighting the need for accountability and transparency in government actions.

Tarus gained attention for her outspokenness during a meeting where Uasin Gishu county residents expressed their grievances over the county's failed scholarship programme.

During the meeting held at the County Hall, Tarus confronted Senator Jackson Mandago, the former Governor of Uasin Gishu, with a direct statement.

She challenged him for what she perceived as dishonesty and stealing from helpless students and parents.

"You are very mean with the truth, you keep lying, you smile at us, with a very smooth tongue and a very soft face that looks like it's very innocent, but you keep on lying and lying," she accused.

In the scholarship program, a total of over Ksh800 million was collected from parents within the Financial Year 2021/22 to support the advancement of their tertiary education in Finland and Canada.

Under an agreement with the Uasin Gishu County Government, successful candidates were assured of future employment opportunities upon completing their education abroad.

Parents of the beneficiaries were instructed to submit the required fees through a designated county government account.

However, the program faced headwinds when allegations of corruption and misappropriation of funds intended for student fees emerged.     BY K24 NEWS