Court Acquits Senator Mandago In Ksh1.1 billion Finland Scholarship Case
Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago has been cleared of charges related to an alleged conspiracy to misappropriate Ksh1.1 billion intended for the country’s foreign scholarship programs.
In a verdict issued on Thursday, July 23, the High Court in Nakuru determined that the prosecution had failed to prove its case against Mandago, freeing him of conspiracy charges.
Mandago and other county officials were charged with mismanaging monies intended to benefit students studying abroad.
When the scholarship system was created, the Senator was the Governor of Uasin Gishu.
Senator Jackson Mandago was acquitted alongside two county officials of charges linked to the KSh1.1 billion Finland and Canada education programme by Nakuru Senior Principal Magistrate Peter Ndege.
Video by Daniel Chege. pic.twitter.com/R32bI6I6MJ— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) July 23, 2026
According to the court, the evidence presented by the prosecution did not meet the required threshold for a conviction, effectively ending the case that had lasted over six years.
The scholarship programme was designed to support students from Uasin Gishu County pursuing higher education abroad, particularly in Finland and Canada.
To secure admission, beneficiaries were required to contribute up to Ksh1 million each into a designated trust account.
Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago speaks after being acquitted of charges linked to the Finland and Canada overseas education programme. pic.twitter.com/BBwnGUm22x— John Mutongoi (@johnmtongoi) July 23, 2026
The programme came under scrutiny in September 2021 after parents and students raised concerns over a lack of communication.
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Meanwhile, some beneficiaries who were stranded in Finland reportedly faced eviction after failing to pay tuition fees and accommodation costs.
@FinnishEmbNBO
Ah, this is where your voice of transparency and accountability would have been desired the most to reassure everyone that the kids were not trafficked to the unitary state .
The Mandago skunk still stinks from Chebarbar to Mellersta Österbotten! https://t.co/PRste4MpzB— Saddique Shaban (@SaddiqueShaban) July 11, 2023
When they sought clarification from the county government, the students and their parents were informed that the scholarship fund had been depleted and could no longer support the programme.
Investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) later established that parents had contributed about Ksh957 million towards the scholarship scheme.
The commission further found that only Ksh257 million had been spent on tuition fees and other student expenses, with the remaining Ksh700 million allegedly misappropriated.
Following public outrage and protests by affected families, Mandago and two former county officials were arrested in August 2023 and charged with conspiracy to commit theft, abuse of office and making false representations.
Nearly three years later, the High Court ruled that the prosecution had failed to prove its case beyond the required legal threshold, resulting in Mandago’s acquittal.
Court Acquits Senator Mandago In Ksh1.1 billion Finland Scholarship Case
