Raila gives Form One student chopper ride to join National School

A student caused a scene at Maranda High School after reporting for Form One admission in a chopper on Monday, August 2, 2002.

According to photos and video obtained, the student who is yet to be identified was accompanied by former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Initial reports indicated that Odinga had ferried the student because he was from a humble background.

The chopper proved to be a better means of transport beating the traffic jam and inconveniences that plague Kenyan roads when schools resume and close.

Many claimed that the student’s parents had chartered the aircraft but, it has now emerged that Odinga was the one behind the chopper ride.

As an alumnus of the school, Maranda School holds a special place in his heart.

In the 2020 KCSE exam results released in 2021, Maranda High had two candidates in the list of the top 15 candidates.

The school’s Henry Madaga, who emerged eighth-best in the national ranking, was second-best in Nyanza region with an A of 87.046 points.

Kiprono Howard, who was ranked 13th nationally, followed with a performance index of 86.949. Maranda had 48 candidates scoring straight As, A- (142), B+ (104), B+ (67), B- (34), C+ (30), C (17), C- (8) while two had D+.

Form One admission struggles

Elsewhere on Monday, August 2, a form one student had to walk 50 km from his home to St Joseph’s Boys School, a national school in Kitale.

Damaris Mutenyo, his mother, was overcome with emotion when she learned of the extent to which her son had gone in order to secure his spot.

“I woke up at around 6 am to attend to my vegetable business and was shocked to be told by neighbours that my boy had decided to trek to Kitale to secure the space,” she stated.

George Masinde feared that if he failed to report to school that day, he would miss a once in a liftime chance.

“I feared for my life, but thinking of my future life and career, I had no option other than to take a walk,” Masinde stated.