Residents of Turkana County are expressing outrage after Education County Executive Committee (CEC) member Wiljustus Lopeyok Akwalata ordered the demolition of a classroom built by comedian Eric Omondi.
Omondi, known for his philanthropic efforts, constructed the classroom to support education in marginalized areas, with the hope of alleviating overcrowding and improving learning conditions for students.
Omondi raised funds for the project through his online campaign, ‘Team Sisi Kwa Sisi,’ directing the proceeds toward building the classroom and providing learning essentials for needy pupils in Turkana. In addition to the classroom, the school was named Teacher Kamaret Primary School to honor a dedicated teacher who had been volunteering to educate the children for free.
“We named the school Teacher Kamaret Primary School after the amazing, selfless teacher who volunteered her time to teach these children. We also managed to give her a stipend to support her for at least two months,” Omondi said.
Despite the progress, Omondi acknowledged that more work remains. Over half of the children still lack uniforms, and the classroom is not fully finished. “By the end of this year, we will have a fully functioning school here, complete with boarding facilities. God bless you,” he added.
However, the demolition order, just one day after its completion, has left the community frustrated. Residents are demanding answers from the county government, calling the classroom a lifeline for the entire area.
The county government cited concerns over the iron sheet structure’s failure to meet building standards. The Education CEC further claimed that Omondi had not followed the correct procedures during the building process.
A local resident lamented, “You have brought us great shame in this community. Your children have been given a classroom, shoes, and books, and now you destroy all thatFor so many years, nothing has been done about the state of schools here. Now that Eric Omondi has made a move, it’s become problematic. We have never seen anything like this.”
