KAKAMEGA, Kenya—Female learners in basic schools across Kakamega County can breathe a sigh of relief after area Woman Representative Elsie Muhanda officially launched the second phase of the countywide free sanitary pads initiative.
The ambitious initiative launched at the Kakamega Approved School on Thursday, February 5, 2026, is aimed at supporting schoolgirls in all public primary schools.
Speaking during the official launch of the initiative, Muhanda lamented that many school-going girls fail to report to school due to the lack of their necessities.
“It is the right of students to be in school. So, one of the reasons why learners are not in school is because of a lack of sanitary towels,” she said.
Muhanda, who has built her roots in Kakamega County after attending local primary and secondary schools in the area, attributed the high pregnancy cases among school-going girls to a lack of sanitary pads.
“We recently conducted research to determine the main causes of why our schoolgirls were dropping out of classrooms, and one of them was the lack of sanitary towels.
What does a lack of confidence mean to school-going girls?
Elected on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket, Muhanda also attributed a lack of confidence among the young girls to the lack of sanitary towels.
“I have heard one of our leaders here saying that she knows of a female student who was using old towels instead of sanitary towels. She could not play or even interact with her fellow students because she lacked confidence,” lamented the MP.
Muhanda, who joined active politics after completing her higher education at Kenyatta University, urged secondary school principals to admit all the learners seeking to join Grade 10.
President William Ruto recently issued a directive ensuring all Grade 10 learners can enroll in senior secondary school regardless of their ability to afford uniforms or other requirements.
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This policy aims to promote inclusive education and reduce dropout rates, emphasising access over financial barriers.
The move has been praised as humane and necessary, with support from figures like Muhanda emphasing that it reflects a broader commitment to educational equity in Kenya.
“We have our Grade 10 learners who President Ruto has directed to report to school, whether they have school fees or not. So, we thank the head of state for this, and since these are difficult times where we have some of our students still at home because of a lack of fees and uniforms, I appeal to such schools to allow these learners to be admitted,” explained Muhanda.
She further disclosed that she has sponsored 35 girls to the university.
“If I had ignored them, then I could have locked out our future female leaders who were thirsty for education,” said Muhanda.
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Muhanda, who has since declared interest in the Kakamega gubernatorial seat in the run-up to the 2027 General Election, also called upon area Governor Fernandes Barasa to serve all the residents equally while taking a jab at him for what she termed as prioritising issues and matters that don’t concern the welfare and well-being of the locals.
“Governor Barasa, I want to tell you, this is not personal. This is about the development of the people of Kakamega County. Now, we have finished three years. Unfortunately, you have nothing to write home about the Sh 54 billion you received from the National Government since taking office,” claimed Muhanda.
In her own words, the woman MP went on: “Even the teachers can attest to it. There are no ECDE centers in their schools. There are no development programs like those that former Governor Wycliffe Oparanya used to launch and implement. That is why the people of Kakamega have decided that in 2027, they want a change. They want to see the value for their money.”
Muhanda further pleaded with Governor Barasa to bring development to the county for the benefit of the residents.
“But again, I wonder what kind of development that he is going to bring because three years down the line, you have done nothing. These people are not fools,” added Muhanda.
A fierce critic of Governor Barasa in recent days, Muhanda took the opportunity to ‘apologise’ to the residents of Kakamega for endorsing Barasa’s candidate before the August 9, 2022, polls.
“I want to sincerely apologise to you because I am among those who endorsed him (Barasa) in 2022. We did not know that he would turn out to be like a tortoise, which you place up in a tree but can’t come down, and now we are the ones who are going to bring him down that tree,” insisted Muhanda.
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