By Mercy Buyanzi/ Trans Nzoia County
Residents and students in Kwanza Constituency are growing increasingly frustrated with the delay in building the Kwanza Technical and Vocational College, which was supposed to open its doors to students in January 2025.
The college, which has now been left unfinished, was expected to provide an important opportunity for local students to pursue vocational training.
However, the construction work has come to a standstill. Kitale National Polytechnic, which is responsible for overseeing the project, had set a deadline for the completion of the construction by December 2024.
Unfortunately, the contractor failed to meet this deadline, abandoning the site with significant work still left to do.
Maxwell Wafula, a student who had hoped to begin his studies at the new college, expressed his disappointment and frustration.
“I was supposed to start in January, after being advised by Kitale National Polytechnic. My parents couldn’t afford to send me farther away, but now nothing is happening,” Wafula said.
This situation is particularly difficult for many students who, like Wafula, had been counting on the local college as an affordable and accessible option for their education.
Without the college, they are now left with limited alternatives, many of which may be too far or too expensive.
The community’s optimism was initially high when former Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Mochogu laid the foundation stone for the college.
Local residents and students feel they have been left in the dark by the government, with very little communication about why the project has stalled and when it will be completed.
Shadrack Rono, a local resident, shared the growing concern: “We’ve been left in the dark, and now this project is becoming a wasted opportunity. The community had high hopes, and we ask Cabinet Secretary Julius Migosi to step in.”
The delay is not just about the construction; it also represents a missed opportunity for the local community to benefit from the educational and economic opportunities that the college could have provided.
The area county government provided land at the Kwanza Vocational Training Center, while the national government allocated 68 million shillings to fund the construction.
However, despite this support, the project’s completion seems uncertain, leaving many wondering why the funds have not been put to better use.
Joseph Lusaka, another concerned resident, warned that if the issue isn’t resolved soon, the community may take more drastic actions to demand accountability.
“If there’s no response, we’ll have no choice but to protest at the county education office to demand answers,” Lusaka said.
The community is growing impatient and is prepared to organize demonstrations if the government fails to act on the issue promptly.
They are calling on the Ministry of Education to intervene and ensure that the project is completed as promised so that the community can finally benefit from the opportunities the college is supposed to provide.
By Mercy Buyanzi.. Transnzoia County
