Justina Wamae warns Kenyans using school knowledge to get money
Former Roots Party deputy leader Justina Wamae has ignited a fresh national debate on education, privilege, and wealth creation, cautioning Kenyans against believing that academic pedigree alone guarantees success in today’s economy.
Through her X handle on Tuesday, January 6, 2025, Wamae aimed at what she described as misplaced pride in elite schooling, questioning whether attending a national school truly makes a difference in putting food on the table.
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“Apart from bragging rights, does it make a difference that I went to a national school and you did not? In this economy, you people say, ‘Usitumie akili ya shule kutafuta pesa?’” she posed.
Schools versus reality
Wamae challenged Kenyans to rethink how they define a “low-level” school, listing what many consider markers of shule ya chini: lack of laboratories, classrooms, libraries, dining halls, running water, electricity, and even functional staffrooms.
She argued that these gaps persist not because of marginalisation alone, but due to leadership and community choices.
Citing devolution figures, Wamae questioned why counties such as Mandera (Ksh111.8B), Wajir (Ksh94B), and Garissa (Ksh80B), which received funding between FY 2013/2014 and 2023/2024, still struggle with basic school infrastructure.
She asked why county governments, together with NGCDF and NGAAF funds, have not pooled resources to invest in homegrown schools.
“Why aren’t the people of the North speaking up?” Wamae asked, suggesting accountability and local prioritisation matter as much as historical disadvantage.
Gachagua’s remarks reignite debate
Her comments come amid heightened tension following remarks by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who questioned why students from outside Mt Kenya are placed in elite schools such as Alliance and Mang’u while local students with strong grades are sent elsewhere.
Speaking at a church event in Kiambu, Gachagua accused the government of chaotic placements under the new senior secondary system and broader failures in education policy.
Wamae’s intervention reframed the debate, shifting focus from placements to outcomes.
Other people are being brought to our schools here, like Alliance, Mang’u, and others, while our children are being placed in lowly-ranked schools despite having higher grades. There is total confusion in the education system. Parents do not know what to do,” Gachagua said.
Her message was blunt: schooling alone does not create wealth, and communities must invest deliberately in education infrastructure if they expect different results.
As Kenyans argue the future of education and opportunity, Wamae’s warning resonates: knowledge must translate into value, and progress demands accountability beyond classroom walls.
